The Manitoba government says it’s building an overpass at an intersection near Carberry, which was the site of a crash that killed 17 people in 2023.
The incident, which involved a minibus carrying seniors from Dauphin on a casino trip and a semi-trailer, occurred at the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and Provincial Trunk Highway (PTH) 5 that June.
The decision of how to improve safety at the corner has been ongoing and controversial since the tragedy, with sometimes heated public consultations and provincial studies coming up with potential options.
Premier Wab Kinew and Transportation Minister Lisa Naylor announced Thursday that after consultations, a technical analysis and a safety review, construction on an overpass will begin in 2027. It’s expected to take two-and-a-half years to complete.
“Safety is about more than engineering, it’s about trust,” Kinew said in a statement.
“The people of Carberry spoke clearly and we adjusted course. With renewed design work and real community input, we are moving toward a safe solution.
“An overpass will protect lives and reflects our belief that every Manitoban deserves to feel safe on our roads.”
In addition to public forums, the province said it consulted with drivers as well as municipal officials in Carberry and the surrounding area.
Carberry Mayor Ray Muirhead said he’s pleased to see the province “came through” on the decision his community wanted to see.
“Our emphasis has always been on safety, and we must never forget the lives lost at that intersection,” Muirhead said.
“I hope we get started quickly to honour those lives with a new interchange that will keep people safe for many years to come.”
The province said the 2027 start date is because there’s still work to be done on issues such as land acquisition and environmental approvals before they can put shovels in the ground.