The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

WPIRG resorts to Freedom of Information Act regarding safety data on Highway 7 Michael Parkinson, a memâ€" ber of the Waterloo Pubâ€" lic Interest Research Group, formally made a request for accident/colliâ€" sion/safety data for Highâ€" way 7 between Kitchener and Guelph under the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Monday. The provincial Ministry _ of Transportation (MTO) would like to construct a new $100â€"million highâ€" speed expressway approximately one kiloâ€" metre north of the existâ€" ing Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph pending the outcome of a review of the project‘s original environmenâ€" tal assessment. An opponent of a new Highâ€" way 7 between Kitchener and Guelph plans to obtain safety data concerning the existing highway under the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Former MTO minister and now Minister of the Environâ€" ment, Tony Clement, called for the environmental assessment review this past Jan. 20 Provincial officials are to orgaâ€" nize a public meeting in the Tim Gardner Chronicle Staff no option other than to appeal to the Freedom of Information Office "WPIRG and others are frustrated by the wall of silence from MTO and have for help." â€"Michael Parkinson He also said in an interview Monday WPIRG had been tryâ€" ing to get safety statistics from the MTO regarding the proâ€" posed project since 1994, withâ€" out success. "WPIRG and others are frusâ€" trated by the wall of silence from MTO and have no option other than to appeal to the Freedom of Information Office "The MTO proposal cites safety as a key reason for the construction of a brand new $100â€"million expressway between the two cities, yet has never provided any data to assess safety issues," Parkinson said in a news release. Region of Waterloo regarding the issue sometime this fall. * accident ratios in terms of such things as the number of accidents per car trips, the number of accident deaths per number of motor vehicle trips etc. § * safety initiatives to reduce motor vehicle crashes along this portion of Highway 7 that have been tried or proposed in the past 35 years by the MTO and/or by the Ontario Provincial Police and/or others * the cost to Ontario taxpayâ€" ers as a result of motor vehicle crashes on this stretch of road * a comparison of how the highway rates with other provincial highways in Ontario * the total number of traffic collisions along the rural porâ€" tion of Highway 7 between Region of Waterloo Road 17 and the Hanlon Expressway in Guelph for help," Parkinson said The type of information Parkinson is looking for includes: * proof that a new expressâ€" * a profile of accidents by cause, by type of damâ€" age and injury, by road conditions at the time of the crash, and by number of police charges laid WPIRG is currently involved in a public campaign to stop construction of the new highâ€" way. Instead of building the new expressway, WPIRG favours development of transâ€" portation alternatives that don‘t rely on cars, thus reducâ€" ing the need for ‘road space,‘ or just expanding the current Highway 7. way such as the one now being proposed by the MTO in the project‘s 1997 final environâ€" mental assessment report will be safer than the current road in terms of the number of crashes and fatalities. Our hugely successful Sâ€"Series BB â€" has always had some pretty innovâ€" S &, ative stuff. Like durable rust and 6 9 dent resistant polymer panels. es steel modified spaceframe, 30 day moneyâ€"back guarantee, and unique no hassle, no haggle buying experience. But now, you can get all these feaâ€" tures in a larger, midâ€"size Saturn. The new Lâ€"Series is bigger on room. It‘s also bigger on performance. with an optional DOHC 182hp VY6 engine. (You might just have to buy a pair of those leather gloves with the holes in the knuckles.) And by the way, that hugely successful Sâ€" Series we were talking about? It‘s been redesigned with 167 new improvements. So whether you need a small car, or something with a lot more room, Saturn has a whole line of cars for you to love. B se 4 o t e E y i hz The new, larger midâ€"size Lâ€"Series still has the quality and durability of a Saturn. There‘s just a lot more of it to love. Saturn Saab Isuzu of Kitchener Waterloo 663 Victoria St. N. 744â€"5811 «<ofililings | ~cympp ‘14,143 +20,075 2000 S1 MSRP WiSRP www saturncanada.com . 1â€"888â€"4SATURN A Dirmnwryt Kiyp +f Cowniay A Dorrra®st Kiso +/ Caa 17298 2000 SC HSRP $25,220 HNRP The new, larger midâ€"size LS % J Guelpn 5 SATURN s mSMB s ISJZU ‘19,438 MSRP SATIRN C ambndge