Options, opinions vary for future of Carberry crash site

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This article was published 09/01/2024 (659 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There’s no one perfect solution to the problems at a deadly Manitoba highway intersection, road safety experts say.

However, in the wake of an independent consultant’s report on the junction of Highway 5 and the Trans-Canada, just north of Carberry, they agree any of the three recommended revamps would make the crossing safer — with caveats.

On Monday, the province released the findings and recommendations of a months-long review of the site where a horrific collision June 15 resulted in the deaths of 17 seniors who were minibus passengers on a day trip.

The in-depth third-party report made three short-term recommendations: widen the median, build a roundabout or establish an RCUT (restricted crossing U-turn or J-turn) which prevents drivers from driving straight through an intersection.

The province has committed $12 million to an eventual redesign, saying one of the three recommended changes will be selected through community consultation.

Ahmed Shalaby, a professor of transportation engineering at the University of Manitoba, said if the design of the crossing changes significantly, the province should implement the same change throughout its highway system.

“When we see 10 RCUTs along the Trans-Canada, maybe that’s better than just one,” Shalaby said Tuesday. “Whatever it is, it needs to be implemented system wide.”

Roadways need to be “predictable” to drivers, he said, particularly if they are driving at night or when visibility and road conditions are poor.

System-wide changes could indeed be coming, as the province has committed to creating a specialized safety unit to look road networks across Manitoba. The province has said the revamp of the Highways 5 and 1 intersection could serve as a template for addressing other problem intersections.

The head of one Toronto-based transportation engineering firm said, while he believes a roundabout would be the best option, the final decision should consider community feedback, cost and the long-term benefits of collision reduction and enhanced public safety.

Trans-Plan chief executive officer Shadi Hagag said roundabouts reduce the likelihood of high-speed collisions, as they slow traffic and eliminate “cross-path conflicts.” Still, rebuilding would require further assessment of the location; for instance, if the area is prone to flooding, that might change how the roundabout is built.

It might also be the more expensive option.

As for RCUTs, Hagag said while they can reduce the risk of severe collisions, especially T-bone crashes, they can be confusing to drivers.

Widening the median might be the most simple and cost-effective option but it’s likely least effective at significantly reducing collision rates, he added.

Another road safety expert noted speeds would need to be reduced leading up to a roundabout.

That could come in the form of signage or “self-explaining designs,” such as an “S” curve in the road that forces drivers to slow down on approach, said John Morrall, a Calgary-based consultant who works on road design projects, including those in Manitoba.

Morrall ruled out the need for an above-grade interchange at the intersection, something the report presented as a possible long-term option. “It’s a very expensive solution for a low-volume problem.”

Traffic flow at the rural intersection doesn’t warrant the price tag for an interchange, which the province says could cost $100 million, Morrall said.

(Premier Wab Kinew said Monday one will be built at the site in 20-25 years.)

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Shalaby, meanwhile, is still hoping the public can learn broader lessons about road safety from the high-profile June collision. The report didn’t specifically look at the cause of the crash, nor specific circumstances surrounding it; the RCMP investigation into the incident is ongoing.

A minibus carrying 25 seniors was en route to a casino south of Carberry, travelling southbound on Highway 5, when it was struck by a transport truck travelling eastbound on the Trans-Canada. Police said at the time the semi had the right of way.

While the current design of the crossing may have contributed to the collision, that is just one factor, Shalaby said. He expressed hope the RCMP investigation will shed light on just what happened and change can be made to prevent future similar tragedies.

RCMP spokesperson Tara Seel said police will provide further information about the investigation when they are able.

katrina.clarke@freepress.mb.ca

Katrina Clarke
Investigative reporter

Katrina Clarke is an investigative reporter at the Winnipeg Free Press. Katrina holds a bachelor’s degree in politics from Queen’s University and a master’s degree in journalism from Western University. She has worked at newspapers across Canada, including the National Post and the Toronto Star. She joined the Free Press in 2022. Read more about Katrina.

Every piece of reporting Katrina produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.