PROCEDURE FOR TRAVELLING

ON BUSH ROADS IN ALGONQUIN PROVINCIAL PARK

  1. Check your vehicle, fuel and complete circle check. Ensure Ministry radio and CB is functioning properly. In the winter, never head into the interior without a full tank. As part of the circle check, ensure that appropriate safety equipment is onboard, including first aid kit, UTM map, tow chains scraper, shovel, axe, blanket, matches, flashlight, candles, booster cables, tie downs etc.
  2. If you are unfamiliar with your travel route contact the Park Office for advice about the travel conditions. Ensure that your proposed travel route has not been decommissioned, bermed or washed out.
  3. Check where logging activity is taking place. The public folder on the common drive entitled Log Haul Routes details haul routes in Algonquin on a weekly basis. This information is also posted on the various Health & Safety bulletin boards in the Park. Haul routes change and are utilized by various organizations conducting research, enforcement etc. in the park.
  4. Always travel with your lights on and wear your seatbelt. In addition to other traffic on these roads be aware that wildlife travel these roads on a regular basis, always be aware for moose, deer and other wildlife that may jump in front of your moving vehicle.
  5. Drive to the road/weather conditions. Drive at a speed that will allow you to stop within the line of sight. SLOW IS BEST.
  6. Signs are posted at the road entry point and the CB channel to be used is posted (normally channel 19 and channel 23) check your channel prior to proceeding on the logging road. All roads are posted with kilometer markers. While driving these roads call out your location every kilometer (i.e. MNR vehicle coming in at kilometer 3,on the Clyde & Bruton Road) ensure to name the road you’re travelling on. Kilometer markers are usually posted on a tree at one-kilometer intervals, but they can also be painted on visible trees. If there are no visible markers always call out your location by other identifiers such as bridges, dams, lakes etc., remember calling out on your CB is only one method of avoiding a collision, there may be dead zones for radio transmission and people travelling the road network without a CB. Contact your manager to make arrangements for maps available from the GIS Office.
  7. Give logging trucks and industry traffic the right-of–way by moving to the nearest turn-out or pulling off the traveled portion of the road as far as possible as soon as possible.
  8. Always report road problems/conditions to the park office.
  9. Ensure that the “Travelling in Back Country Procedure is followed (i.e. check in check out)
  10. Always drive defensively.