Mayor joins push for changes along the Sea to Sky after deadly crash
Posted January 9, 2018 10:40 am.
Last Updated January 9, 2018 3:35 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
SQUAMISH (NEWS 1130) – The mayor of Squamish has signed a petition calling for more concrete barriers along the Sea to Sky highway, a week after a head-on collision that left two people dead.
Patricia Heintzman says she hopes something good can come from this tragedy.
“The highway is such a fundamental part of day to day existence in Squamish. Sometimes, unfortunately, it’s these tragic events that really make people mindful of it. The more places on the highway we can put no-post barriers, makes the highway safer. It’s proven that it does, so we need to continue to make more of the highway safer.”
A teenager from Squamish has launched a petition aimed at making parts of the highway safer.
Gagan Chagger, 16, wants to see more concrete barriers along centre lines between Squamish and Whistler, especially on roadways where there is only one lane going in each direction.
“Concrete barriers would prevent cars that slip and lose control from entering the opposite lane,” reads a description of the online petition.
“Safety can be easily increased by reducing the impact of vehicle collisions with these concrete barriers. We need to reduce the crash continuity of the vehicle during its collision which would be possible with barriers separating the two opposing lanes. The barrier will absorb the vehicles force when it crashes and will direct it in another direction to prevent collision with the opposing car,” it says.
She says one of the people who died last week was married to her mother’s best friend.
“It’s just really sad, seeing her go through all of that, and her kids… So, I just really wanted to do something to make a change and, in a way, try to give them justice.”
Chagger adds the heart of her petition is safety.
“We just want to make it as safe as possible for them. I would love to see my parents every single day when they come back from work, and I’m sure every other family in Squamish wants to see whoever is driving up and back from Whistler when they return home.”
She is planning to send the petition to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
She’s hoping for 10,000 signatures. “The population of Squamish is about 19,000. I want to get around [10,000] so I actually have something that… the majority of Squamish wants.”
