An open letter has been sent to Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson calling on the government to twin a 17 kilometre stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway from the Ontario boundary to Falcon Lake.
It comes from a group of concerned motorists from Northwestern Ontario and is being spearheaded by Peter Lugli.
The Lugli family and the Dryden area were devastated when Mark and Jacob Lugli died on that road near Barren Lake on July 21, 2019.
The family says a transport swerved to avoid a vehicle, striking the Lugli’s.
Mark was driving his 17-year old son to a golf tournament in Selkirk.
Peter, brother of Mark and uncle of Jacob, stresses it’s time to act, noting over 5,000 drivers from Manitoba and Ontario travel along that stretch between the Ontario boundary and Falcon Lake a day and are at risk.
He notes homeowners, cottagers, truckers, motorists and their passengers, and legislators of all stripes agree that the untwinned section of road is unreasonably and increasingly dangerous.
In the letter, Peter writes, “First Nation communities have rallied successfully in favour of twinning efforts in Ontario as well. We have yet to hear any voice, save that of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, that is opposed to a commitment, today, to twin Manitoba’s Highway 1 from the Ontario border.”
It goes on to say, “It is past the time of thoughtful review. It is time for thoughtful engineering and roadwork and solid Manitoba know-how to meet topographical challenges. Moms and dads driving their kids to hockey games or golf tournaments or university or travel across the many far-flung cities and towns in this great part of the world should do so knowing they can get there and back with happy memories, empty coffee cups and maybe a stale Timbit or two.”
Peter adds, “Doing nothing but more review will increase the odds for new tragedies to occur on this Government’s watch.”
The court process into the 2019 incident is winding down as sentencing is set to take place August 24 in Winnipeg.
Residents are asked to send letters to Premier Stefanson with their support for the twinning work to premier@leg.gov.mb.ca
