ManitobaThe province of Manitoba has committed to building an overpass at the intersection of the Trans-Canada and Highway 5, where a 2023 crash between a bus and semi left 17 dead. Many residents say the move is long overdue, while others question the project’s cost.While some residents praise move, others worry about cost of project expected to top $100MChelsea Kemp · CBC News · Posted: Nov 18, 2025 7:26 PM EST | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.A drone photo of the highway intersection that was the site of a fatal crash near Carberry, Man., on June 15, 2023. (Tyson Koschik/CBC)The Manitoba government will build an overpass at the intersection near Carberry where a 2023 bus crash killed 17 seniors — a decision many locals say is long overdue after years of safety concerns.The overpass project at the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 5 was announced in Tuesday’s throne speech, after the province reversed earlier plans for a restricted crossing U-turn, or RCUT, design.That option would have eliminated direct left turns from the Trans-Canada and going directly north-south on Highway 5. Instead, drivers would make merges and U-turns to get where they’re going. Many residents argued that design wouldn’t adequately address the dangers at the busy intersection and pushed the province to consider an overpass.Debra Steen helped organize protests against the RCUT proposal. She said community members are relieved, and surprised, the province took their concerns seriously.Debra Steen protested against the province’s initially proposed RCUT design. She says she’s relieved the government has pledged to build an overpass. (Chelsea Kemp/CBC)”We were asking high and hoping for the best.… We would have been happy with widening the intersection,” Steen said. “Are we over the moon for the overpass? Yes.”Carberry Mayor Ray Muirhead said he’s glad steps are being taken to make the intersection safer, which honours those who died in the 2023 crash, he said.”If we get this [overpass] because of that accident, it will be in their memory,” said Muirhead, who hopes to see construction begin as soon as possible.Carberry Mayor Ray Muirhead says improved safety at the intersection will honour those who died in the 2023 crash. (Chelsea Kemp/CBC) The throne speech committed to starting the design work for the overpass next year. Premier Wab Kinew said Tuesday the overpass will cost “north of $100 million.”Given the community outcry against the RCUT proposal, and the history of the intersection, the government worked to accommodate a new overpass in its capital plan, he said.”This is not the time, given the sensitivity and the history, to overrule a community’s wishes,” he said.’Something needs to be done’Carberry resident Norman Kerr said he’s grateful the province acted, and while some locals will likely criticize the expense, he trusts provincial experts to build what’s needed.”We got the money, we got the resources and we got the manpower,” he said.Kerr, who lives near the site, saw the aftermath of the crash, which he said was traumatic to witness.Carberry has grown and now has heavy industrial and agricultural traffic, and needs infrastructure to reflect that, he said.”An overpass, roundabout … just a lane for the truckers — I don’t care. Something needs to be done.”Pat Graham, who lost her arm in a separate crash near Carberry, said improving the intersection is vital. She opposed the RCUT, and said the number of collisions at the intersection shows stronger safety measures are needed.”I know how important safety is, and it’s been a long time coming and [is] well overdue,” Graham said.Cost concernsOther residents remain skeptical, given the price tag.The province had previously said an overpass was not an option due to the traffic volumes at the intersection, and provincial officials had indicated the RCUT was their preferred solution before that idea was scrapped. John Bjorn said he’s still not convinced the overpass is the right solution. He worries it could cause more problems than it solves.”It’s going to be kind of big to put something there and it’s going to be more costly to … the taxpayers,” Bjorn said.He said the overpass seems more suited to a large urban centre like Winnipeg than a small town like Carberry.”If that’s going to be built, it’s not a cheap kind of project,” he said. “It’s going to cost everybody in this town a lot of money.”WATCH | Overpass planned for site of deadly 2023 bus crash:Manitoba to build overpass at site of deadly Carberry bus crashThe province committed to building an overpass at the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 5, where 17 people died in 2023 when their bus collided with a semi-trailer truck. Many residents say the move is long overdue, while others question the project’s cost.But Steen said the current intersection is difficult and sometimes frightening to navigate, especially for heavy equipment. Traffic often backs up during peak seasons like harvest, as trucks try to cross the four-lane highway.That’s why the community pushed so hard, and why she’s relieved the province changed course, she said.”That accident was horrific, and so many lives are lost, and that’s one of the accidents that occurred at that intersection,” said Steen.”Daily it’s just chaos there, and it’s time for something to be done.”ABOUT THE AUTHORChelsea Kemp is a multimedia journalist with CBC Manitoba. She is based in CBC’s bureau in Brandon, covering stories focused on rural Manitoba. Share your story ideas, tips and feedback with chelsea.kemp@cbc.ca.
‘Over the moon’ after province promises overpass at site of deadly 2023 Carberry bus crash: resident
