In response to the tragic accident that claimed lives on the Sea to Sky Highway earlier this month, MLA Jordan Sturdy is voicing his support for a highway divider separating opposing lanes.
However, he said that he would support the initiative only if the highway’s passing lanes and shoulders are retained.
“If it would mean we would lose a passing lane there, then I probably wouldn’t support it,” he said. “But if we could do it and retain the passing lanes and the shoulders…yeah, absolutely.”
The MLA’s comments arrive after locals pushed the province to create safety barriers along the stretch of road near Alice Lake where two people were killed and five injured in a head-on collision on Jan. 2.
Sturdy said a barrier in the area where the accident occurred would probably require 2.6 to 2.8 metres for road.
That could take up space from either a highway shoulder or a passing lane.
“That comes with issues as well,” said Sturdy. “I think a one-lane highway all the way along there, or a highway that has no ability or no capacity for cyclists is a challenge as well.”
“We also need to understand it’s not a simple as putting a barrier from Horseshoe Bay to Whistler,” he added.
He said highway widening may be necessary in some cases.
Sturdy also said that the Jan. 2 accident shines a spotlight on the importance of regional transit, while noting the incident was similar to a previous accident years ago that led to the temporary creation of a Squamish to Whistler transit system from 2005 to 2011.
Local government should refocus their efforts to set up a governance and service delivery model, he said.
Sturdy said he is in regular communication with officials within the Ministry of Transportation, but authorities have been quiet so far with respect to the accident because the investigation report has not been made available.
He also added that he hasn’t been seen the RCMP report either, and it will likely be a few months before that information can be viewed.
Earlier this month, the province said it would be reviewing the police report of the accident.
A Ministry of Transportation said that authorities “may” implement on safety measure such as adding a highway barrier.
That announcement was made after locals petitioned authorities to create a divider for that stretch of road.
