Manitoba to spend $12 million to improve intersection where 17 were killed in tragic 2023 crash

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Manitoba is spending $12 million to fix the intersection near Carberry where 17 people were killed in an accident last year.

Premier Wab Kinew and Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor met with families and survivors of the tragic highway collision to share the findings of the road safety review and announce next steps to improve safety at the intersection.

“This collision will be remembered as a tragic event that profoundly affected many Manitobans and beyond,” said Naylor. “While we cannot undo the pain these families are experiencing, we are committed to taking steps to improve safety at this intersection for the future.”

The Manitoba government is moving forward with a functional design study based on the in-service road safety review, done by third-party engineers, which includes recommendations of the three safest options to improve the intersection.

The province has committed to choosing the best option for improvements to the intersection by investing $12 million in necessary upgrades to improve safety for travellers, said Naylor. It will engage the public in the near future as part of the functional design process to gather information and feedback around the project, noted the minister.

In addition to releasing the report and outlining next steps to increase safety, Kinew announced the Manitoba government will provide financial support for community efforts to commemorate those involved in this tragedy.

“My thoughts are with all those who lost family or friends in this horrible crash, especially as they have just spent their first holiday season without their loved ones,” said Kinew. “We have heard from families and local municipal leaders who are working to honour their loved ones with a memorial, and we want them to know the Manitoba government is ready to come to the table to support this project.”

Following the collision on June 15, 2023, Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure (MTI) developed a road safety strategy to identify immediate and long-term safety improvements at the Provincial Trunk Highway (PTH) 1 and PTH 5 intersection.

The safety strategy included a review of the intersection to ensure it met MTI standards. The province has already taken immediate action by installing new important intersection signs and additional speed limit signs, refreshing pavement markings, re-establishing rumble strips on PTH 5 and replacing existing signage.

To further enhance highway safety across the province, the Manitoba government will implement a safe system approach to manage road safety challenges going forward. This includes creating a permanent road safety unit, which will review Manitoba’s highway network for safety improvements.