It’s Road Safety Week in Ontario and OPP are reminding everyone to stay safe and aware on roads, especially with the busy season upon us.
However, it’s not only the OPP advocating for people to get to their destinations safely.
This winter, a group of mayors from the region joined forces to push for improved safety along Highway 28, citing years of concern and recent fatal collisions.
North Kawartha Mayor Carolyn Amyotte says the issue has been at the forefront since her first term began in 2018, but two deadly crashes in the span of three days last summer served as a tipping point.
“I thought, you know what, I can’t do this myself anymore,” said Amyotte. “I really need to reach out to my colleagues.”
Within a day, she had the support of fellow mayors along the route.
“They all came back and said, ‘Absolutely. Whatever we can do. We’re with you on this,’” she said.
“Strength in numbers. We have a stronger voice and we all have a vested interest in making that highway as safe as possible.”
Highway 28 is provincially maintained and runs for approximately 160 kilometres, from Peterborough through several communities including Bancroft, Faraday, Highlands East, Carlow Mayo and North Kawartha.
It is patrolled by five Ontario Provincial Police detachments.
In December, Amyotte sent a letter to Ontario’s Minister of Transportation, Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria, calling for a full safety review of the highway, on behalf of the mayor’s coalition.
“The Mayors of Highway 28 would like to work with you and your ministry to address these matters and concerns,” the letter reads.
“While we recognize that Highway 28 is a well-designed and well-maintained roadway, which moves high volumes of traffic at high speeds, we must acknowledge that there is a disconnect between the good design of the road and the incidents of accidents and fatalities that occur on it.”
Amyotte says the press for change is ongoing.
Several years ago, two community safety zones were established in high-collision areas — a step forward, but not enough, she said.
The mayors argue that traffic conditions and surrounding communities have changed significantly since Highway 28’s original construction.
“There’s a lot more people coming this way, our communities are growing, the completion of the 407 over to the 115 has facilitated that much more traffic coming this way, it’s a popular area for folks and we want to make sure everyone arrives at their destination safely, that’s the goal.”
In January, a delegation of local leaders attended the 2025 Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference in Toronto.
Amyotte says it marked the coalition’s first in-person meeting with provincial officials, including the then-parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Transportation and local MPP, Ric Bresee.
“I had five mayors there, plus the warden of Peterborough County,” said Amyotte. “Members of my council were there for support as well. It was quite nice because it felt more like a posse.”
The mayor says her personal connection to the issue runs deep.
Early in her first term, a neighbour and friend was killed in a collision near Haultain — a loss that led to her first meeting with the Ministry of Transportation.
Amyotte hopes continued public awareness and advocacy will help reduce the risks and that the Ministry of Transportation has agreed to a safety review.
“We need people to drive with care,” she said. “Be smart when they’re coming through the area and be aware.”
According to Amyotte, between March 2019 and August 2024, there were 15 fatalities on Highway 28 and over 600 collisions.
