A notoriously deadly stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway needs improvement, says a funeral director in the western town of Revelstoke. The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia says 46 people have died in accidents on the stretch of road which winds 148 km through the Purcell Mountains in the western province of British Columbia.
‘Road is very windy and very high’
“The road is very windy and very high, so you can go from one section that’s very bare and within 10 kilometres be into a snow storm and another 10 kilometres you’re clear,” said Gary Sulz, who as funeral director, assists the coroner investigating every death.
‘It takes its toll’
“It definitely takes its toll. It takes its toll on myself, the coroner, the police, fire rescue personnel and even the tow truck people” he said.
The road between the towns of Revelstoke and Golden is currently only two lanes wide with no barrier between lanes. Sulz, who is also a Revelstoke city councillor, would like to see it widened to four lanes with a barrier in the middle. He knows that is expensive and will take time, but in the meantime he says he would like to see better maintenance on the road.
Highway closes sometimes for days
Frequent crashes and unpredictable weather conditions lead to frequents closures of the highway. They can last days at a time and a church sometimes takes in travellers who find themselves stranded.
The Trans-Canada Highway is Canada’s longest national road. It spans the country from St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador in the east to Victoria, British Columbia in the west. Car ferries link both Newfoundland and Vancouver Island to the mainland.
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