Province plans to twin deadly stretch of Trans-Canada Highway Stefanson responds to family pushing for safety improvements after losing father, son in 2019 crash near Falcon Lake By: Chris Kitching Posted: 9:00 AM CDT Thursday, Sep. 1, 2022 Last Modified: 10:46 AM CDT Thursday, Sep. 1, 2022 Updates

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Manitoba is moving forward with plans to twin its last remaining undivided stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway, bringing relief to a grieving family who lobbied the premier for safety improvements.

The province will soon tender contracts for engineering design studies, which will lay the groundwork for the doubling of Highway 1 between the Falcon Lake area and the Manitoba-Ontario boundary.

A proposed timeline for the twinning project will be announced this fall, Premier Heather Stefanson wrote in a response to the family of Mark Lugli and his son Jacob Lugli, who were killed in a head-on crash on July 21, 2019.

“As far as this incident is concerned, it’s the first positive outcome to come out of a dark story,” said Peter Lugli, Mark’s brother and Jacob’s uncle. “We’re very happy with this. It’s very much a goal achieved for the family. We’re confident it well help improve the highway.”

After a series of Free Press articles outlining safety concerns and calls for action, the family sent a letter to the premier’s office on Aug. 16, urging her government to twin the 17-kilometre stretch of two-lane highway to prevent similar tragedies.

If any good came from the crash, the family said, it would be a twinning project, arguing it was long overdue.

The province has faced pressure to divide the section since Ontario announced in 2020 its own project between the boundary and the Kenora bypass would go ahead.

An aide sent the premier’s letter to the Lugli family Wednesday afternoon.

“We’re expecting that our view is shared by her and many others — that that stretch of road is dangerous,” said Peter Lugli, who lives near Seattle, Wash. “We don’t want other families to go through what we’ve gone through.”

There was “a lot of happiness and relief” when Lynn Konkle, Mark’s wife and Jacob’s mother, and her children heard the news, he said.

“We don’t want other families to go through what we’ve gone through.” – Peter Lugli

Stefanson told them her government will speak to Indigenous rights holders and other stakeholders “early and throughout” the project. It will also seek federal funding.

Discussions with Ontario will continue to ensure the neighbouring projects align, the premier indicated.

“The Trans-Canada Highway between the Ontario boundary and Falcon Lake is an area of concern that will benefit from investment,” Stefanson wrote in the letter obtained by the Free Press. “Twinning the highway will significantly improve safety for motorists, and our government is committed to getting the job done.

“As the first stage of a phased approach to completing this project, we will soon tender and award contracts to engineers for the conceptual and functional design studies for the critically important twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway from five kilometres west of the Provincial Road 301 to the Ontario boundary.”

Stefanson offered condolences to the family, describing the deaths of Mark, 54, and Jacob, 17, as a “terrible tragedy.”

Mark, a school principal, was driving Jacob, a recent high school graduate, from their home in Dryden, Ont., to a golf tournament in Selkirk when they were killed.

Their family was told an eastbound tractor-trailer driver swerved into their lane near Barren Lake to avoid crashing into stationary traffic while a driver attempted to make a legal left turn onto a private road for cottages.

Loved ones were informed the transport driver pleaded guilty to two counts of careless driving causing death. He is scheduled to be sentenced in a Winnipeg courtroom Oct. 4.

The Manitoba Trucking Association, which has also lobbied the province to twin the section, described the province’s plans as “great news.”

“(The highway) is our primary trade route across Canada,” said executive director Aaron Dolyniuk. “Having safe and efficient infrastructure is important to all Manitobans.”

Traffic disruption for residents, cottage owners, truckers, travellers and other road users is to be expected.

“At the end of the day, we know it’s for a greater good, and it makes sense,” Dolyniuk said.

“At the end of the day, we know it’s for a greater good, and it makes sense.” – Aaron Dolyniuk

Stefanson, who met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Winnipeg Thursday, would not comment on the timeline or cost.

She said the project is a priority, while acknowledging the province has had discussions with the Lugli family.

The fact that Ontario is moving forward was “absolutely” a factor in Manitoba’s plans, she said.

Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk said the project has been moved up the province’s priority list, and will be important for trade and safety.

Preliminary land clearing is expected to begin in 2023.

When the engineering design studies are finished, the province “will know the scope of the project and be in a better position to provide cost estimates and timelines,” Piwniuk said in a statement.

For its twinning project, Ontario has offered training and jobs to people from Indigenous communities. Piwniuk said Manitoba’s construction projects contain mandatory clauses that require a contractor to include Indigenous involvement and/or involvement from Indigenous businesses.

Gail and Danny Adair, who live year-round in a West Hawk Lake cottage they have owned for 53 years, hope the province follows through on its pledge.

“I’d like to see it twinned. There are some times when traffic is pretty heavy, especially when we’re coming home at dark,” said Gail.

At night, the headlights of taller vehicles in the lane of oncoming traffic can be blinding, said Danny.

“I’d like to see it twinned. There are some times when traffic is pretty heavy, especially when we’re coming home at dark.” – Gail

Gail said the couple can use an alternate route when construction begins, adding the province must ensure emergency services access isn’t disrupted.

In 2017, a traffic count determined an average of 4,870 vehicles use the undivided section every day.

Previous Manitoba governments have studied the possibility of twinning the stretch, which cuts through Whiteshell Provincial Park and the Canadian shield.

The topography, including rocks, lakes and trees, will pose challenges.

Ontario is dividing some 40 kilometres of the Trans-Canada, between the provincial boundary and the Kenora bypass, in three stages.

The first phase — 6.5 kilometres from the provincial boundary to Highway 673 — started in June and is due to be completed at the end of 2024.

As of last month, Ontario has spent more than $31 million on that section.

— with files from Danielle Da Silva

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @chriskitching