A West Kootenay advocacy group is petitioning the government to improve road conditions and potentially save lives.
The Public Access Protection Society (PAPS), an advocate for access to and maintenance of public roads and trails, is asking the provincial government to bring at least two highways service areas back under direct government service.
The petition was prompted by PAPS president Lindsay Kenny’s own experience when driving daily the 66 km from Fruitvale to Nelson and back to attend classes at Selkirk College.
“One day on my way to college I had a close encounter that changed my life. I always left early to give myself plenty of time because the roads were so bad. That day someone passing me started slipping sideways two inches from my bumper and started to roll.
“I didn’t think I was going to survive! It was miracle I was not hit, and the other driver walked away.”
Days later, Kenny says the conditions were still dangerous, and a young woman just 17 years old lost her life at the exact location she had encountered the roll over.
“I said to myself that’s enough, I must do something!”
There have been numerous accidents and several deaths impacting area families, friends and the communities, most notably on Highways 3 and 3B, Hwy 6 and Hwy 22 connecting Greater Trail municipalities, Castlegar, Nelson, and Creston.
At the time, Kenney says she did not understand the highway maintenance contracts or how to report dangerous conditions or what the highway standards were.
“During the winter driving season, the Highways were compact ice with no traction control measures in place for weeks on end.”
Kenny, a Fruitvale resident, started a Facebook Group called “West Kootenay highway safety” to put public pressure on the Ministry.
“I started making complaints on road conditions and started doing research on Highways contracts. I was appalled the standards were not being met. Deaths were totally avoidable. I was determined to make change, and I was not alone.”
She points to a 1994 report “The Operational, Human Resource, and Financial Implications of the Privatized Highway Maintenance Program” that recommends the provincial government retain a minimum of one or two service areas.
In early 2018 she reached out to her union, IBEW local 1003 in Nelson, drafting a letter on behalf of the union with support from the membership, urging the government to act.
The petition asks government to:
- Ensure the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective highway maintenance with safety for commuters and workers as a top priority.
- Maintain the knowledge and experience of highways maintenance within the ministry.
- Make sure the ministry is in a state of readiness to step in and deliver highway maintenance services directly in areas where service delivery has failed.
The Times contacted the Ministry of Transportation and Innovation (Ministry) and asked if they had considered the petition’s concerns and take greater responsibility for highway safety?
“Highway maintenance is one of the most important services we provide,” said the Ministry. “People’s safety is our top priority.
“We appreciate that there is a keen interest in the mechanism used to provide highway maintenance services within B.C. At this point, given that the current contracts tendered between 2018 and 2021 will be in effect for quite a few years, our focus is on the administration of the current contracts.”
The Ministry said that it has not conducted a B.C. wide study comparing the different delivery models, but that the current structure is proving cost effective.
“A 2021 study for one of our contract areas concluded that the costs to deliver maintenance services using internal resources would be more than 10 per cent more expensive than using the current delivery model.”
The Ministry contends that highway maintenance today has greater provincial funding, is more financially stable for the province and its taxpayers, and promotes increased opportunities for improved technology, innovation and equipment.
As for oversight, staff members monitor the contractors’ performance and follow up with any concerns. It’s Highway Maintenance Quality Plan (HMQP) and Contractor Assessment Program provide the framework for assessing contractor performance against contractor requirements and quality of service.
“As part of the Quality Plan, more than 130 district staff across B.C. conduct more than 15,000 monitoring records and 1,600 audits annually. Findings from ministry assessments over the last year conclude the contractors are meeting or exceeding contract requirements more than 90 per cent of the time for all highways.”
The Ministry also offered directions on how to access current information on road conditions, and warnings to avoid certain roads.
“It’s important to note that there will be times during the winter season when snow and ice is present on the highways, even with ongoing winter operations,” said the Ministry. “Drivers need to be prepared for winter driving and quickly changing weather conditions.”
Since contracts were tendered in 2018-19, serious collisions have decreased by 12 per cent, the Ministry said.
“When unfortunate incidents do occur, the ministry follows up regularly with RCMP to determine any contributing factors to ensure we are responding appropriately.”
Information on roadways, and tips on winter driving can be found on the Shift into Winter website: https://roadsafetyatwork.ca/campaign/shift-into-winter/ and drivebc.ca.
Drivers can also report current road conditions and hazards by calling the local contractor YRB Kootenay Boundary through their 24/7 road reporting line: 1-888-630-1420.
The PAPS petition has been signed by almost 3,300 British Columbians, and in the interest of enhanced safety and accountability of the highway maintenance program, residents are asked to consider signing the petition at: https://www.change.org/p/restoring-original-highway-maintenance-program-in-bc.