The provincial government said it will remove trees, improve signage and add rumble strips to the intersection of the fatal Humboldt Broncos bus crash.
A review into the intersection of Highway 35 and Highway 335 lists 13 total recommendations to improve safety at the site.
Broncos bus crash
On April 6, 2018, a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos hockey team collided with a semi-truck at the intersection. Sixteen people were killed and another 13 were injured in the crash.
Following the crash, the Ministry of Justice commissioned McElanney Consulting Services Ltd. to conduct a safety review of the site. The review examined geometric, collision, traffic and human factors at the crash site. The study was meant find any deficiencies at the intersection and recommend ways to lower those risks.
Site has a history of fatal crashes
Two decades before the fatal Broncos bus crash, another family lost six of its members at the same intersection.
Dylan Fiddler, who was just six years old at the time, lost his mother, aunt, uncle and three cousins in the crash. The Fiddlers vehicle collided with a semi-trailer. The driver of the semi wasn’t seriously injured.
The report shows there were six collisions at the intersection between 1990 and 2017. One of those crashes, in 1997, was fatal. There were injuries in two other crashes in that same timeframe.
According to the report, trucks were involved in 54 per cent of collisions at the site. This is disproportionately high, since trucks represent only 19 per cent of vehicles passing through the intersection every day.
Consultation with RCMP, RM of Connaught
The study looked at traffic volumes, drawings and collision data collected by the Ministry of Highways.
Researchers also spoke with the Nipawin RCMP detachment, RCMP Major Crimes and RCMP Traffic Services.
“The RCMP noted that there has been an increase in public complaints regarding stop sign violations at the intersection since the April 6, 2018 collision,” the study said. “No other driver behaviour concerns were identified.”
The investigation into the crash is ongoing, meaning neither Major Crimes or Traffic Services were able to speak in the report.
The driver of the semi-truck, Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, is facing 29 total charges in the crash — 16 counts of dangerous driving causing death and 13 counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Dec. 18.
Highway speeds
Highway 35 is a major two-lane highway with a posted speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour, and designed for speeds of 120 kilometres per hour. More than 2,000 vehicles travel the route each day, the report says.
Highway 335 is a collector highway with a posted speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour. It’s designed for speeds of 110 kilometres per hour and sees around 1,000 vehicles each day.
The Ministry of Highways has temporarily slowed traffic in both directions to 60 kilometres per hour at the approach to the intersection.
Tree removal and sight lines
Sightlines at the intersection are partially blocked by trees, both on the Ministry of Highways right-of-way and private property near the intersection.
The report recommends removing all the trees from the area. The ministry says it removed the trees from the right-of-way in October. It will need to meet with the property owner to discuss taking down the trees on their land.
Human factors
The report says that Highway 335 is controlled by a stop sign when it approaches Highway 35. Prior to the approach to that intersection, it is not controlled. According to the report, drivers may assume they don’t need to stop before crossing Highway 35.
The report also points to a railway crossing, grain elevator and now the roadside memorial for the Broncos crash victims, which could all lead to driver distractions at while they approach the intersection.
“The intersection is located in a rather remote location in rural northeast Saskatchewan,” the report adds. “The location increases the chance that motorists travelling through the intersection have been travelling long distances and could be suffering from fatigue.”
Report recommendations
The report outlined 13 recommendations, which the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure says it plans to implement.
The recommendations are:
- Enhancing signs
- Installing “Stop”and “Stop Ahead” pavement markings
- Tree removal on private property
- Build new roadside memorial access road
- Removal of gravel road
- Install breakaway bases on railway signal signs
- Install breakaway bases on light standards
- Add rumble strips on Highway 335 approaches
- Install larger “Stop” and “Stop Ahead” signs
- Paint a solid centre line on Highway 35 and Highway 335
- Realign grain elevator access to Highway 335
- Widen highway shoulders
- Realign power lines
The province is set to bring in the improvements based on relative benefit-cost outlined in the report.
The government plans to bring in all 13 recommendations by the end of 2019.
