A petition for passing lanes on Highway 8 that a Gimli resident started has resulted in a green light from the provincial government.
Teri Nicholson had set up a petition on Change.org last August and received 1,111 signatures in favour of passing lanes on Highway 8, a fast-paced highway that has no transitional speed zones like Highway 9 and sees high volumes of traffic to and from Winnipeg and other communities.
The province has promised to build passing lanes on Highway 8 between Highway 67, the east-west corridor to Selkirk and Stonewall, and PR 231, at the northern edge of the town of Gimli.
Nicholson said she received a communique from provincial minister of transportation and infrastructure minister Lisa Naylor last week with regard to the request for passing lanes.
“I am pleased to inform you that the department has identified passing lanes on PTH 8 as a capital project for future construction,” states the communique from Naylor. “There are various locations on PTH 8 between PTH 67 and PR 231 that will be upgraded with passing lanes with construction anticipated to begin in 2025.”
Nicholson told the Express she decided to start the petition after seeing repeated complaints on social media about dangerous driving and near misses on Highway 8. Instead of being “keyboard warriors,” she wanted to try a different approach to see whether a collective response could lead to government action.
Anyone who has driven Highway 8 can probably tell a story or two about having had dicey experiences, she said, including herself.
“Vehicles get backed up behind a slower vehicle, then someone from the back of the line decides to pass everyone. To avoid being hit by oncoming traffic, they have to swerve back into the other lane forcing everyone else to slam on their brakes to let them in,” said Nicholson. “I have had to come to a complete stop on more than one occasion. Many of us locals avoid using Highway 8 when possible, especially during the summer.”
She said she’s driven on other provincial highways with passing lanes and found them to be beneficial to reducing tailbacks and improving safety.
“I have regularly travelled Highway 16 for many years. Traffic used to get backed up on it much like on Highway 8 with campers travelling below the speed limit on the way to Riding Mountain National Park. A number of years ago passing lanes were constructed on Highway 16 from Highway 1 to Highway 10, and it is now a totally different trip,” said Nicholson. “I have also seen the improvements on Highway 3 since passing lanes have been constructed when I travel to visit family.”
Nicholson said the minister did not mention the number of passing lanes that the department promised to build.
Gimli Chamber of Commerce president Samantha Hampton said passing lanes on Highway 8 would enhance commutes and make them safer, and also help boost economic growth in the Interlake region.
“The addition of passing lanes will not only enhance safety for daily commuters and curious travelers alike, but will also support tourism by providing safer, more accessible routes to explore our region,” said Hampton. “This improvement will have a positive impact on the business community, as safer and more efficient travel encourages increased visitation, supports local commerce and bolsters economic growth across the Interlake. Tourism thrives on the ability to travel with ease and confidence, and these improvements will undoubtedly contribute to our goal of making the Interlake a destination of choice.”
The chamber will continue to advocate for infrastructure improvements that benefit safety and enhance the economic vitality of communities in the region, she added, and it looks forward to further details from the province on the passing-lanes project.
The Express asked the provincial department of transportation and infrastructure how many passing lanes will be built, whether it has to appropriate land to build them and when construction will begin but did not get detailed answers.
“Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure has determined that passing lanes on Provincial Trunk Highway (PTH) 8 between PTH 67 and Provincial Road 231 are warranted and are already identified in the approved capital program for future construction,” said a department spokesperson. “The project is currently in the design phase.”
