Highway 5 crash that killed family renews call for twinning, passing lanes

People who drive a highway east of Saskatoon, on which a family of three was killed Wednesday, say it's a scary, frustrating experience.

For the amount of traffic on it, it's ridiculous that it's never been twinned.- Cyndi Cunanan

David and Amanda Savage and their son, Tyson, died when their SUV collided with a semi on Highway 5 about 60 kilometres east of the city. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

• Family from Meacham, Sask., killed in highway collision

From 2012 to 2015, there were between 69 and 93 collisions a year on the road between Saskatoon and Humboldt, Sask., according to SGI statistics. In 2013, there were three fatalities.

"There's always been bad accidents on that road," said Cyndi Cunanan.

She used to drive it when her parents lived in Humboldt. She said the combination of two lanes, heavy traffic, no shoulders and rolling hills make for some challenging driving.

"For the amount of traffic on it, it's ridiculous that it's never been twinned, or at least put shoulders on the darn thing," she said. "Like, how hard would that be?"

Stephen Kowalchuk used to haul grain and fertilizer between Saskatoon and points east. He said the view from the front seat of a semi was often terrifying.

The hilly country frequently meant he had a string of vehicles backed up behind his truck.

"I can't even count how many times that I've had vehicles pull out and pass me, and I've had to hit the brakes so they didn't have a head-on with oncoming traffic," he said.

Passing lanes

Ministry of Highways spokesman Doug Wakabayashi said the government conducts a review every time there is a fatal accident on provincial highways. Traffic engineers will look at safety measures like increased signage and pavement markings.

With its many hills and curves,  the highway can be difficult to pass on, Wakabayashi said, increasing the danger to drivers. He said all motorists need to be cautious on the road and never pass on a solid line.

The province has taken steps to address drivers' concerns.

In 2015-16, it committed $6.8 million to start work on passing lanes between Saskatoon and Humboldt.

While engineers have flagged potential sites for passing lanes and the province has begun purchasing land, there is no firm date on when construction will start.

"The actual construction schedule is going to depend on future budgets," said Wakabayashi.