Frustrations are mounting at the county level after Highway 3 buckled, again.
This is the third summer in a row that a section of the highway heaved under extreme heat and the latest buckling is in a new location from the previous ones.
Essex County Warden Gary McNamara tells AM800 News that traffic engineers have contacted the Ministry of Transportation to look into the issue.
"It is dangerous, no question. Somehow the MTO has to come down and figure out exactly the rationale why this is occurring."
McNamara says this is dangerous and there needs to be a permanent solution, not just patchwork.
"We can't continue to do patch work and so forth, our biggest fear is the concrete breaking up when someone is driving through that particular area at any given time," he says.
"If it is breaking up in certain areas and in the remedial work that was done last year, how far do they go, this becomes a very costly venture no question."
This is the seventh time a section of the highway was shut down for the same issue and McNamara notes this also seems be happening during the first heat wave of the summer.
In the summer of 2019, the MTO issued the following statement:
"Based on the outcome of the investigation, the ministry determined the need to repair, clean and reseal the joints as well as complete selective concrete panel repairs on Highway 3. The ministry has a contract tendered to complete these repairs this summer. In addition, the ministry will continue to monitor and complete maintenance on this section Highway 3."