Road safety on Highway 99 is top of mind again in Squamish after a local resident recently experienced a wrong-way driving incident on a divided stretch of the corridor. While no one was injured, the situation is a clear reminder that a single mistake on a high-speed route can put many people at risk. For a community that depends on Highway 99 every day—for school drop-offs, commutes, and weekend trips—this is not just an isolated concern. It’s a prompt to revisit what’s working, what isn’t, and how residents, the District, the RCMP, and the Province can work together to prevent the next close call.
Wrong-way driving is uncommon, but when it happens, it is among the most dangerous events on any highway. The Sea to Sky corridor carries a mix of local and visitor traffic, sees sharp changes in weather and light, and includes a combination of signalized intersections, divided highway sections, and access roads. Those ingredients can create confusion, especially for drivers unfamiliar with the area or those navigating at night or in rain. In these conditions, visibility of lane markings, clarity of ramp and intersection signage, and driver attention all matter.
The Squamish RCMP detachment has been asked for information about any recent wrong-way calls and whether enforcement or public advisories are planned; comment is pending. We have also requested details from the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure about whether the location involved will receive a signage or access review. This story will be updated as official information becomes available.
In the meantime, there are established practices and programs that apply here. The Ministry maintains and upgrades highway features such as “Do Not Enter” and “Wrong Way” signs at divided highway access points, directional arrows on pavement, rumble strips, and channelization that helps steer traffic in the correct direction. These measures are part of the Province’s broader highway safety standards used across BC. The Sea to Sky Highway itself underwent extensive upgrades ahead of the 2010 Winter Games—wider lanes and shoulders, improved alignment, median and roadside barriers in many sections, and new signage—changes that have generally reduced severe collisions over the long term. Even so, targeted improvements are sometimes needed as conditions evolve, traffic grows, and patterns change.
Local enforcement and education play a role as well. Each year, police in BC partner with ICBC on high-profile campaigns such as High-Risk Driving enforcement in May, distracted driving enforcement in March, and CounterAttack impaired driving roadchecks in summer and winter. These initiatives are not aimed solely at tickets; they are meant to shift behaviour, especially on corridors like Highway 99 where a momentary lapse can have severe consequences. If police confirm a wrong-way incident in our area, residents can expect reminders to slow down, follow directional signs closely at highway access points, and call 911 right away if they spot a vehicle travelling the wrong direction.
Community members can also help by flagging visibility or wayfinding concerns before they lead to a crash. If you notice faded arrows, worn edge lines, or signs that are obscured by vegetation or hard to see in low light, note the exact location and report it to the provincial maintenance contractor through the Ministry’s maintenance request channel. The contact number is posted on roadside maintenance signs and can also be found through the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure website. For urgent hazards or an active wrong-way driver, call 911 immediately.
Several practical steps could follow from last week’s concern. First, a focused signage and marking audit of the access where the wrong-way entry occurred can identify if upgrades are warranted—options might include larger and more reflective “Do Not Enter” and “Wrong Way” signs, additional pavement arrows, improved lighting, or curb islands that physically discourage incorrect turns. Second, a seasonal reminder campaign—delivered locally through the District of Squamish, RCMP, and partner agencies—could target the times of year with the poorest visibility, when rain and early nightfall make signage and markings harder to pick out. Third, coordination with businesses and attractions that draw visitors could help ensure wayfinding is clear both online and on the ground, reducing last-minute, confusing manoeuvres at highway access points.
These are modest, near-term measures that can make a difference. Longer term, continued collaboration between the District and the Province is essential. The District’s transportation planning already prioritizes safety for people driving, walking, and cycling on local roads that connect to Highway 99. When the District hears repeated concerns at specific accesses or intersections that tie into the highway, those observations can be shared with the Ministry to help guide provincial safety reviews. Residents can amplify that effort by reporting patterns they see at particular locations—times of day, weather conditions, and turning movements that seem to cause confusion are all useful details for engineers.
It’s also worth keeping perspective on the corridor’s overall safety picture. Highway 99 through the Sea to Sky remains a complex, high-volume route with a blend of freight traffic, commuters, and recreation visitors. That mix is not going away. Over the past decade, the Province has continued to add and refresh safety treatments such as barriers, signs, line markings, and intersection upgrades in and around Squamish. The RCMP and other police agencies have sustained regular enforcement focused on impaired, distracted, and high-risk driving. These efforts reduce risk, but they do not eliminate it. When an uncommon but high-consequence event like wrong-way driving occurs, the right response is to examine the site conditions carefully, reinforce driver awareness, and adjust infrastructure where needed.
For drivers, a few habits are especially important on divided sections of Highway 99 and at highway access points. Reduce speed when approaching intersections and ramps, scan for one-way arrows and “Do Not Enter” signs, and take an extra moment before turning across lanes. If you miss your turn, resist the urge to correct it on the spot; continue to a safe location and re-route. If you ever encounter a wrong-way vehicle, do not try to flag the driver by entering their path—move safely out of the lane, call 911 with your location and direction of travel, and warn others only if it can be done without entering the roadway.
We will share updates from the Squamish RCMP and the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure as soon as they are available. If you have information to report about a recent wrong-way incident, contact the Squamish RCMP non-emergency line. For highway maintenance issues such as damaged or obscured signs, faded markings, or lighting concerns, use the Ministry’s maintenance request line listed on roadside signs and on the Ministry website. If a wrong-way driver is currently on the road, call 911.
Squamish residents have consistently shown that practical, local input can improve safety. A quick call about a hard-to-see sign, a note to the District about recurring confusion at a particular access, or a reminder in your household to stay focused behind the wheel—all of these actions add up. As authorities review last week’s concern, the immediate next step is clear: confirm the facts, assess the location, make targeted improvements if needed, and keep the community informed. We’ll continue to follow this file and update readers as official information comes in. For broader corridor updates and road conditions, refer to the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and DriveBC. If the Ministry determines that changes are warranted at the specific location, we will report on the timeline and scope of any safety improvements.
