Road Reports

The lane has been opened and traffic is moving in both directions. 

-----Original Story Below----

The Ministry of Transportation is reporting a collision has taken place just east of Kenora. 

The incident took place at the junction of Highway 17 and Highway 71, and the eastbound lane is partially blocked. 

The ministry is asking drivers to use caution when in the area. 

The Northwestern Ontario Student Services Consortium has made the decision to cancel all bus routes this morning. (Tuesday, January 18) 

One exception is Pickle Lake bus PL81, which will run. 

Due to the winter storm making its way to the area road conditions will only deteriorate throughout the morning making for hazardous driving conditions. 

This includes Kenora, Sioux Narrows, Red Lake, Ear Falls, Vermilion Bay, Dryden, Sioux Lookout, Ignace, and Upsala.

Schools remain open. 

The Ministry of Transportation has shut down Highway 17 between Kenora and Ignace due to the poor winter driving conditions.

All lanes are closed between the Highway 17 A East Junction near Kenora and Lakeshore Drive South in Ignace. There’s no timeline on when the highway is expected to reopen.

The region is expected to get hit with 10 to 15 cm of snow Tuesday into Tuesday evening bringing with it heavy winds gusts up to 50 km/h causing limited visibility. 

— Update —

Highway 17 has been opened.

— Original Story —

Highway 17 between Kenora and Dryden has been closed by the Ministry of Transportation due to poor winter driving conditions. 

The closure begins at the Highway 17A and Highway 17 junction. 

The region is expected to get hit with 10 to 15 cm of snow Tuesday into Tuesday evening bringing with it heavy winds gusts up to 50 km/h causing limited visibility. 

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has not provided a timeline on when the highway will reopen. 

Environment Canada has issued a winter weather travel advisory for the areas of Kenora, Whitedog, Grassy Narrows, Sioux Narrows - Nestor Falls, Morsen, Dryden, Vermilion Bay, Ignace. and English River. 

A low-pressure system tracking south of the region will bring significant snowfall to northwestern Ontario beginning early Tuesday morning. Snow and local blowing snow is expected to impact travel conditions through Tuesday.

The travel advisory is in effect starting Tuesday into Tuesday evening and will bring 10 to 15 cm of snow. 

The City of Kenora says snow removal operations will be taking place over the next two days and the work is expected to cause delays.

Today and tomorrow, work will be taking place on Second Street South from Fifth Avenue South to Eighth Avenue South, as well as Fifth Street South from Highway 17 East to Second Avenue South and Sixth Avenue South.

The city says signs will be posted in the snow removal areas to indicate no parking zones. Any vehicles found in the zones may be ticketed or towed at the owner’s expense.

The City of Kenora says work will be taking place on the Keewatin Channel Bridge today, bringing the bridge down to one lane.

The city says the work will allow for the removal of the damaged railing on the north side of the bridge.

Traffic will be controlled with flagging and delays can be expected. Although, the work is weather-dependent.

The city thanks the public for their patience and cooperation during the work, and residents are reminded to always slow down and move over near working crews.

— UPDATE —

Highway 17 has been reopened.

— Original Story — 

For the second straight day, Highway 17 between Highway 71 and Vermilion Bay has been closed due to poor road conditions.

There is no word on when the highway will reopen.

Click here to check the current road conditions on the Fix Auto Road Report page and if you see anything on the roads that we should know about, call or text us on the Sounds and Systems Talk and Text Line at 807-468-4487.

— Update —

Highway has been reopened.

— Original Story —

Both lanes of Highway 17, between Highway 105 and Highway 71, have been closed due to weather conditions.

There is no word on when the highway will reopen.

As of 3:06 p.m., there is still no word on when the highway will reopen according the 511Ontario twitter page. 

The eastbound lane of Highway 17A, the Kenora Bypass, has been closed near the Redditt Road due to a jackknifed tractor-trailer.

--- UPDATE ---

Highway 17 was reopened overnight but has since been closed due to winter conditions between HWY 71 and HWY 105.

--- Original Story ---

Highway 17 has been closed in both directions due to a jackknifed transport east of Kenora.

The incident took place 10 kilometres east of Highway 71 and has resulted in the closure of Highway 17 from ENT (S) to the rest area, according to Ontario 511.

There is no word on when the highway will fully open.