'Prepared to go beyond': Manitoba premier pledges help for intersection safety review

Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson answers questions at an RCMP press conference on June 19, 2023. (Source: CTV News)

Manitoba's premier says she will bring in experts if needed to improve highway safety in our province after last week's tragic bus crash that killed 15 people and seriously injured 10 others.

Heather Stefanson said during Monday's RCMP update that a safety review of the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 5, where last week's deadly collision took place, is already underway.

"After any accident or incident on our highways there is an internal review that takes place," Stefanson said. "So that review is taking place right now."

The province said the review will assess a variety of factors including traffic volumes, conflicts, signage, and geometry in order to make recommendations for safety improvements.

"As part of the province’s capital planning, intersections systemwide are regularly assessed, including those on the Trans-Canada," said an email from the Province of Manitoba. "Conditions such as traffic volumes, traffic patterns, as well as the number and severity of collisions would be some of the factors that go into the long-term planning at any intersection."

The province said it had not previously been looking at the intersection where the fatal crash took place, but it is now.

"Building an overpass at this location was not included in the Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure (MTI) five-year capital plan; however, in light of this tragedy, MTI will be considering a wide range of options, based on the recommendations of the safety review and the findings of the RCMP investigation," said the province's email.

Non-profit organizations like Parachute are working to reduce unintentional injuries and deaths such as those from traffic collisions. President and CEO Pamela Fuselli advocates for highway safety improvements across the country. She said crash investigations are all about analyzing data.

"Is this an intersection where there have been other crashes, and if so what are they, and what is causing them?" Fuselli asked.

She added researchers will look at less severe incidents and near misses at the intersection as well to gather more information.

Provincial data shows the intersection at Highways 1 and 5 has seen 29 collisions between 2012 and 2021, including one fatality. Twenty-two of those crashes were with other vehicles, while seven were with animals. Crash data from 2022 is still being processed, but there were no fatalities at the intersection last year.

Fuselli said there are a number of things that can be done to make the intersection safer.

"Putting roundabouts in, those take away that 'T-bone' scenario. We know that they're safer," she said. "They cause more fender benders, so the incidents may go up but the severity goes way down."

Manitoba already has two highway roundabouts, one on PTH 3 near Oak Bluff, and another on the Trans-Canada Highway west of Portage la Prairie.

Stefanson said the province will put more resources into the review than usual.

"Because of the extent, the severity of this review, we're prepared to go beyond that and bring in experts as needed," she said.