Seven years after the death of Sarah Miles Payne and her daughter Freya on Highway 401, advocates continue to push the province to install concrete barriers from Tilbury to London in order to prevent similar tragedies.
The pair were killed when a drunk driver crossed the median in the Dutton area and hit the Payne family’s minivan head on. Six-year-old Will Payne was also injured.
In response to the tragedy, family friend Alysson Storey founded the grassroots Build the Barriers group in 2017, along with other family members and friends. The organization wants to increase safety along what’s referred to as “Carnage Alley,” noting concrete barriers are effective in preventing catastrophic collisions on the busy highway.
Storey said the anniversary is a time of “terrible grief and sadness” for the loved ones of Sarah and Freya.
“What makes their loss even more outrageous, is the province knew then, just as they know now, that concrete median barriers in this stretch would have prevented their deaths,” she said.
According to Storey, some progress has been made. Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation installed cable barriers in 2018 that were meant to be temporary until 2021. A small 11-km section of concrete median barrier was completed between Tilbury and Merlin in 2021, with promises from the government to complete the remaining 106 kilometres. However, a firm timeline for its completion remains up in the air.
“Some progress has been made between Tilbury and Merlin, and we are very appreciative of that,” the Chatham councillor said. “But we must have a time commitment and see action for the remaining 106 kilometres now.”
Since beginning the barrier crusade, members of the group have met with six different transportation ministers over two different governments, and most recently with Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria. Storey said the minister has committed to moving the project forward.
She said the group will continue to push the Ford government to complete the barrier project, noting Premier Doug Ford made a promise in Chatham in 2018 the project would be completed.
Concrete barriers are safer than cables, as cables are not safety rated for transport trucks, which make up 70 per cent of the traffic on this section of Hwy. 401, according to the group.
A lack of concrete barriers also makes it more dangerous for tow truck drivers and first responders.
Since 2017, there have been multiple fatalities and hospitalizations in collisions on Hwy. 401 between Tilbury and London, as well as numerous incident that caused significant property damage and road closures.
