Controversial design for deadly Trans-Canada spot off table: premier

BRANDON — The Manitoba government has rejected a restricted crossing U-turn design for the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 5, where 17 people on a bus tour died in a crash in 2023.

Premier Wab Kinew announced the decision in a statement Wednesday.

“After hearing clearly from the community, our government will not proceed with the R-CUT design at the intersection of Highway 1 and 5 near Carberry,” the statement said.

In total, 2,100 area residents signed a petition that denounced the design, which is common in the U.S.

“While engineers identified it as a safe option, rural Manitobans told us it’s not the right fit. We’re listening, stepping back, and developing a new approach that prioritizes safety and reflects local needs. This process will include further design work, budgeting, and consultation with a commitment to transparency and community input every step of the way,” the premier’s statement read. He was not available for an interview.

In May, community members held a rally to oppose the RCUT, and 150 people showed up to protest against the design at an open house in June. At the event, the transportation department, in conjunction with two firms hired to help weigh different options, said an RCUT would be the preferred option, as it reduces the number of points where vehicles travelling in different directions can collide.

Other options for the intersection ranged from a roundabout to a wider median that would provide more space for trucks.

Carberry Mayor Ray Muirhead welcomed the premier’s announcement Wednesday.

“Premier Kinew requested that we allow them some time to… regroup and just see what options are out there,” he said.

“We would like to see an overpass. It’s one of these things that if you’re going to do it, do it right the first time.”–Carberry Mayor Ray Muirhead

Area residents continue to push for an overpass — a more expensive option, which the province had said was not warranted by traffic levels in the area, 160 kilometres west of Winnipeg.

“We would like to see an overpass. It’s one of these things that if you’re going to do it, do it right the first time,” Muirhead said.

In June 2023, a bus carrying 24 seniors from the Dauphin area, heading south on Highway 5, crossed into the path of an eastbound semi-trailer on the Trans-Canada Highway.

The truck had the right of way, and the bus driver had a yield sign. The collision caused the bus to catch fire and end up in a ditch.

The intersection allows traffic to flow freely on the Trans-Canada Highway, while vehicles on Highway 5 have a stop sign as they first arrive at the intersection, followed by a yield sign in the median.

The RCUT design allows traffic on the main highway to flow freely, while people on the side road are prevented from crossing directly or turning left. Instead, they must turn right, merge with traffic, execute a U-turn and merge again.

Area residents said the required U-turn would not be safe for large trucks and farm equipment.

Debra Steen, an organizer of the May rally, and one of the most vocal opponents at last month’s open house, said the government’s decision is a relief.

“I’m thankful they’re listening,” she said. “The RCUT would have just been tragic, honestly.”

Jordan Dickson, another rally organizer, agreed. “It would have been a recipe for disaster.”

She said the province needs to redo its traffic study — which was conducted in the slow summer season — at different times of the year, including harvest, the peak season for farmers.

“Hopefully, they’ll go back to the drawing board and actually do their due diligence this time that they didn’t do last time,” she said adding that she’s happy the government listened to their concerns.

Agassiz MLA Jodie Byram, who represents the area, said the NDP government took too long to make the decision to back off from the design.

“It’s great that they’re taking a step back and hearing from the people directly,” the Progressive Conservative MLA said. “It’s just unfortunate (community members) had to work this hard for the government to hear them.”

— Brandon Sun, with files from The Canadian Press