Update (1:40 p.m.): Provincial police say Highway 11's northbound lanes have reopened from West Street in Orillia.
Crews are continuing to work on clearing the remaining snow on both the northbound and southbound lanes between West Street in Orillia and Highway 60 in Huntsville, OPP said in a news release at 1:30 p.m. on Monday.
The southbound lanes of Highway 11, from Highway 60 in Huntsville to West Street in Orillia, are expected to reopen today at approximately 4 p.m.
Except for Luigi Road, the OPP says all on- and off-ramps are cleared.
"Members of the Ontario Provincial Police continue to work collaboratively with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, road maintenance contractors and operators of snow removal equipment to clear Highway 11 and prepare for a full reopening," police stated in a news release.
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ORIGINAL STORY
The OPP says the northbound lanes of Highway 11 between West Street in Orillia and Highway 60 in Huntsville are expected to reopen at around noon today.
However, officials warn not all exits and ramps will be open when the highway reopens as work continues to clear the snow.
It's not yet known when the southbound lanes of the highway will reopen, but officials are hopeful that will occur later this afternoon.
Update : Highway 11 NB at West St. Orillia is expected to reopen at 12:00 and Highway 11 SB is expected to reopen from Highway 60 in Huntsville later in the afternoon. There will be limited access to entrances and exits throughout that area as crews continue to clear the ramps.… pic.twitter.com/iyGvDmNv6b
— OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP_HSD) December 2, 2024
Crews are still working on clearing the highway and other local roads as a "significant" amount of snow and ice have accumulated over the past 36 hours.
The highway, one of the province's busiest north-south roadways, has been closed since Saturday after parts of the region were inundated with more than 100 centimetres of snow between Friday night and Sunday morning.
Many people were left stranded on the highway and had to take refuge at the Gravenhurst Centennial Centre, which was transformed into a warming centre. The Town of Gravenhurst declared a state of emergency early Sunday morning.
