Effect of Geology on Road Transport - Essay Example

Effect of Geology on Road Transport Geological rocks cover most parts of the region, which makes it impossible for trucks to pass through for delivering sand and gravel. Poor drainage is another factor that contributes to the fact that trucks cannot be used to transport the products from Salt Ste. Marie to Ontario. Lakes and forests occupy a considerable part of the southern Ontario with widespread bogs. The shield of Canada appears flat in nature, but the south part is characterized by highlands elevated at a height of 2,275 feet.

This makes it extremely costly to design roads that would facilitate access of Southern Ontario by trucks. The lowland of St. Lawrence located South east, comprises two sections that are St. Lawrence River valley and peninsular part located between Huron, Lakes Ontario and Erie. The Canadian Shield extension joins with the Adirondack Mountains in New York City. This makes it impossible to construct a road through where the trucks delivering sands would use. In addition, numerous rolling land levels characterize the lowland in southern Ontario where a number of escarpments exist along with steep hills.

The Hudson Bay part of the southern Ontario lowland is plain and on the lower parts, that fringes James and Hudson bays northwards. The surface of this region is characterized by marshy and flat areas and comprises of marine deposits, which are elevated above the level of sea during geological period. Scrubby forests enclose most of the region with vegetation such as lichens, mosses vegetation, tundra, and other shrubs. Consequently, the terrain, surface structure, and forest in this region make it exceedingly hard for transportation of sand and gravel by trucks to the Southern Ontario, despite the high cost expected for the products in the region.

The operators in Sault Ste. Marie overrule the transportation of sand and gravel to the Southern region because of the easy transportation of the products by trucks within the region of production. Climate is a crucial factor in road transport. The southern Ontario is characterized by short summers and temperatures in the month of July averages from 55° F in the Northern part to 70° F in the extensive South. Humidity increase as one move to south, ranging from 380mm every year near Hudson Bay to 1010mm in southeast.

Snowfall is substantial throughout the settled areas that average 71 to 121 inches annually. Consequently, trucks cannot travel in such a region because of the ice rocks and humidity. Security is a factor is considered while transporting products by road. The geology of southern Ontario region does not offer security to road transport due to the dangers exposed in travelling through forests by trucks. This is because 40% of the land is covered with forests. Most of the forests are a potential source of timber, but only the accessible forests are beneficial.

Part B There are conditions that can facilitate routine transportation of sand from Salt Ste. Marie to Southern Ontario. Poor drainage, in the southern Ontario, led to the emergence of Canadian Shield and the Great lakes; hence, water occupies a percentage of 20% of the region adequate to facilitate water transportation. The drainage in the Southern Ontario part is formed by rivers, flowing in the St. Lawrence region that includes Moose-Mattagami, Albany, Seven, and Attawapiskat. The plenty of rivers