Calls to twin Trans-Canada Highway between Manitoba and Ontario grow
Family members of a father and son from northwestern Ontario killed in a collision on Highway 1 near Falcon Lake, Man. are calling for improvements to make the section of road safer.
A roadside memorial along the busy and undivided section of the Trans-Canada marks the spot where the tragedy struck more than three years ago.
Mark Lugli, 54, and his son Jacob, 17, were heading west from their home in Dryden, Ont. on the morning of Jul. 21, 2019, to a golf tournament in Selkirk, Man. when they were killed in a horrific collision that has their family and many others calling for change.
Peter Lugli, Mark’s brother and Jacob’s uncle, just sent an open letter on the issue to Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson.
“Given the increase in traffic along that stretch of road over the years, Manitoba should frankly mimic what Ontario’s been doing which is committing to twinning that part of the road,” Peter said in an interview from his home in Seattle.
He said the family learned the driver of an eastbound vehicle was trying to make a left turn at Barren Lake Road.
According to initial reports from RCMP, to avoid a crash, the driver of an eastbound semi-truck behind it crossed into the westbound lane, into oncoming traffic.
“The net effect of all of that was a head-on collision with Mark and Jacob and we were told that they’d perished instantly,” Peter said.
A small portion of the Trans-Canada has since been slated to be twinned between the Ontario boundary and Kenora, Ont. since the collision occurred.
“The day that happened even my neighbour said she felt her whole house shake,” said Joan Dion, who lives with her husband John in their cottage at Barren Lake.
They often have to make the difficult left turn onto the road in the same spot Mark and Jacob were killed and would also like Manitoba to twin the 17 kilometres of single-lane highway on its side of the border.
“They should have at least signs here, ‘local cottagers turning’ or something so people know,” John said. “Because people don’t know, especially if it’s their first time they come here, that you make a turn here.”
A provincial spokesperson said while Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure will consider improvements along the highway, they said the stretch of road where the collision occurred has significant topographical challenges because it’s located on the crest of a hill between two lakes.
Doyle Piwniuk, Manitoba’s Transportation and Infrastructure Minister, said the province is “in the early stages” of exploring how the road could be twinned.
“Our department is looking at the possibility of what we need to do next and looking at possible design,” Piwniuk said Monday at an unrelated road announcement. “It’s a lot of work there. There’s going to be a lot of, when it comes to rocks, there’s a lot of topography we have to deal with.”
People who travel it regularly said improvements are long overdue.
“I think it serves us all as Canadians that it be twinned, for reasons of safety,” said Bonny Skene, a resident of Dryden, Ont. who added her name to Lugli’s letter on behalf of concerned Manitoba-bound motorists from northwestern Ontario. “I’m encouraged by the interest demonstrated by the Infrastructure Minister. I hope that steps will be taken to look at it in a timely way.”
Mark was a school principal in Dryden, Jacob a promising young golfer. Both enjoyed the outdoors. Both are now greatly missed.
“It gives us cold comfort to think that we’ll think about doing it in the future,” Peter said.
For family members the road needs safety improvements sooner rather than later to prevent another tragedy.
The driver of the semi in the collision is set to appear in a Winnipeg court Aug. 24 on two counts of careless driving under the Highway Traffic Act.
Manitoba Prosecution Services said the matter is scheduled for sentencing but no pleas have been entered yet.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
BREAKING London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.