NORTH BAY — The end is in sight for the closure of Highway 17 at Bissett Creek, east of Mattawa.
See: No end in sight for Highway 17 east closure
An update from the MTO Thursday morning said crews are working as quickly as possible to make repairs but the highway will only open as soon as it is safe to do so.
The MTO said the highway would definitely remain closed Thursday and Friday.
"The temporary culvert is in place and we started slowly releasing water this morning, " Brandy Duhaime, MTO Regional Communications Coordinator, told BayToday.ca Thursday. "Repairs on some of the washed-out areas will start today. Our foundations engineers are still analyzing the results from yesterday's Ground Penetrating Radar."
A lengthy detour is in place.
Northbound traffic on 17 should take Highway 60 to Huntsville, then Highway 11 northbound to North Bay. Southbound detour is Highway 11 to Huntsville, then Highway 60 back to 17.
Be careful on the detour, however. Environment Canada has issued a special rainfall statement for the area.
Rain, heavy at times, will move into Central and Eastern Ontario overnight Thursday night and continue into Friday evening, the statement said. Total rainfall amounts of 25 to 40 millimetres are forecast by late Friday night. Local amounts exceeding 50 mm are possible.
Flood messaging is in effect for much of Central and Eastern Ontario. For information concerning flooding, please consult your local Conservation Authority or Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry District office.
This heavy rain is associated with a Texas low that will track across Southern Ontario on Friday.
Follow 511on.ca for updates.
