Province plans to fix notorious Highway 7 bump

A bump in the roadway along Highway 7 between Ottawa and Carleton Place is giving a whole new meaning to the term “speed bump.”

Located between Dwyer Hill Road and Hazeldean Road, the bump has become famous - or infamous - for those who regularly travel Highway 7.

"I took a bit of air," says Libbie Barker, on the first time she went over the bump. Now she tries to avoid it, but when she does drive over the bump, "I slow down to about 60."

The small section of road is situated over a large drainage pipe and affects traffic in both directions. There are signs warning of the bump and uneven roadway, along with signs telling drivers to reduce their speeds to 80 km/h.

"There are people who aren't prepared for it," says driver Steve Garten. "The sign says there's a bump but nobody expects it to be like that."

Garten is one many drivers coming from Ottawa who get to experience the bump twice every time they visit Canadian Golf and Country Club; once on the way there and again on the way back.

"Unbelievable that they can't straighten it out, and that I do have to slow down every time I go over it," says Garten.

"It had been bad," recalls driver Donna Jude. "They had done work on it earlier and it was much better, and then winter conditions or whatever, I don't know. It's got a lot worse again."

In a statement, Ontario's Ministry of Transportation says they have conducted a field investigation in the area to determine the cause of the seemingly growing bump. The MTO says they are preparing to move forward with repairs to the pavement, but timing for the work has not been set.

Located off Highway 7 in Carleton Place, McIntosh Automotive Centre says they've had their share of drivers over the years pulling in after going over the bump a little too fast.

"People are concerned about the heat shield being damaged underneath," says Victoria Karas, the garage's office manager. "There's concern about the alignments of their vehicle. It can do a lot of damage if you go over it at a quick speed."

Karas adds that the bump can cause problems unbeknownst to drivers. Impact to rusted parts can cause bending or breakage, and tire changes done at home with improper torqueing could result in wheels flying off if vehicles become airborne.

"I mean, maybe it keeps us in business," says Karas, "but it's sketchy."