The communities of Winkler and Morden have asked that traffic lights be installed at the corner of two Manitoba highways that intersect near their towns.

Many Garden Valley Collegiate students and teachers use this busy intersection as they travel to work, school, and sports activities and have expressed concerns about their safety. The father of one GVC student was recently killed in an accident at this intersection.

"Large trucks have a real problem making that corner in time for oncoming traffic," says Peter George Dyck, Member of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly.

Dyck has been looking for support from the towns of Winkler, Morden, and the rural municipality of Stanley. The Winkler and Morden town councils recently sent a letter to Manitoba Highways and Transportation, asking for lights at this corner. Dyck now expects to hear about the matter from the Minister of Highways.

The four-lane expansion project went a long way toward speeding traffic flow, Dyck notes. It has reduced potential accidents related to a two-lane highway, but unfortunately, it has made it difficult for north-south traffic to get onto the highway.

Dyck could not say how many fatalities have occurred at this corner, but contends that even "one is too many." The real issue, he says, is "one of safety for all."

It would cost about $350,000 to install the traffic lights and nearly $15,000 a year to operate them. The lights would be run by a central computer operated from one of the local communities.
Traffic lights have not yet been set up at this corner due to the high costs and because such lights are also needed in many other places in Manitoba.