The town of Carberry wants the province to think long-term when it comes to improving safety at a highway intersection just north of the community that was the site of a tragic crash.
The intersection of Highways 1 and 5 was the site of the deadliest crash in Manitoba’s history in June 2023, when a mini-bus full of Dauphin-area seniors was hit by a semi.
Seventeen people died as a result of the accident.
Mayor Ray Muirhead told 680 CJOB that construction of an overpass has been floated as an option to keep the intersection safer, and it’s something he feels is the best solution.
“I just hope we all can get on the same page and we can get something done,” Muirhead said.
“This has been decades in the making — this has been a source of contention in our community for literally decades.”
A provincial spokesperson wouldn’t confirm if the option of installing an overpass is being looked at, but said three improvement options identified earlier in the summer — a roundabout, R-cut, and median-widening — are currently in the evaluation phase.
At a community meeting about the intersection in July, a representative of Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure said smaller changes had already been implemented, including rehabilitated rumble strips, intersection signs with flashing lights, and a reinforced speed limit in the area.
Larger-scale changes are expected to begin later this year, with a preferred design to be identified, a report to be drawn up by spring 2025, and work beginning later that year through 2026.
While an overpass was discussed at that meeting, the province said it was considering the other three options.
Muirhead, however, says he understands an overpass is once again being considered as a potential solution, and his fellow members of council agree it’s the best choice for the community.
“That was supposed to be a longer-term option — maybe 20, 25 years down the road, but apparently it’s back on the table, so we as a council unanimously said, ‘we want to see the overpass’.
“We think that’s the way to go… for us it seemed like a no-brainer.”