Highway 99 is the route many of us depend on for work, school, and weekends away. When something goes wrong on that road, it’s a reminder that safety is a shared responsibility. A recent wrong-way driving incident reported by a local resident has prompted renewed community conversations about how we keep ourselves and each other safe on a corridor that serves Squamish every hour of the day.
At the time of publication, official details on the incident are limited. Squamish RCMP and RCMP Sea to Sky Traffic Services have been asked for information and any guidance they can share; we’ll update readers when a response is provided. Regardless of the specific circumstances, the event raises a broader question that matters to all of us: what can be done—by government, by drivers, and by the community—to reduce the risk of rare but serious wrong-way encounters?
Highway 99 has seen substantial safety investment over the past two decades, including upgrades before the 2010 Winter Games and ongoing maintenance since. The provincial Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) uses a range of measures on numbered highways, such as retroreflective signs, roadway lighting in key locations, centreline and shoulder rumble strips, median and edge delineators, and improved pavement markings. These features are designed to reduce lane-departure and crossover crashes and to make driver intent—and lane direction—clearer in daylight and darkness. While wrong-way incidents are uncommon, they are high-risk, and safety professionals treat them as a priority because the outcomes can be severe.
Wrong-way driving typically happens when a person unintentionally enters a highway against the flow, most often from an access point where geometry, darkness, unfamiliarity, or distraction can lead to error. Impairment and fatigue are well-known risk factors on any roadway. None of these factors have been confirmed in the recent local report, and it’s important not to speculate. The take-away for Squamish is that prevention relies on both road design and driver behaviour, especially as traffic ebbs and flows with seasons, weather, and tourism.
On the infrastructure side, MOTI’s standard toolkit at ramps and access points includes “Do Not Enter” and “Wrong Way” signs placed to face potential wrong-way movements, directional pavement arrows, and high-visibility markings. In places with higher risk, jurisdictions in Canada have added enhanced measures like oversized or LED-embedded signs, wrong-way detection cameras that can trigger flashing beacons, additional lighting, and painted island or curb treatments that physically guide drivers into the correct lane. The Sea to Sky corridor already benefits from many modern features introduced over the years; the question now is whether additional, targeted treatments are warranted at specific access points near Squamish.
Local conditions can change between full highway projects. Vegetation growth, new development, evolving traffic patterns, and winter weather can all affect sightlines and sign visibility. A routine, site-specific review is a practical next step after any wrong-way report. That kind of review generally looks at sight distance, sign size and placement, reflectivity, pavement arrows and chevrons, and the visibility of “Do Not Enter/Wrong Way” signs at night and in rain. It can also consider whether added lighting or rumble strips would help at a given location.
A coordinated approach matters because Highway 99 is under provincial jurisdiction, while the roads feeding it are municipal. The District of Squamish regularly works with MOTI on issues where local streets meet the highway, such as signage, markings, access management, and pedestrian and cycling connections. If residents observe locations where signs are hard to see, markings have faded, or the layout is confusing for newcomers, flagging those locations—ideally with time of day and direction of travel—helps the right agency focus its review.
Enforcement and reporting are the other half of the safety equation. RCMP Sea to Sky Traffic Services and the Squamish RCMP detachment conduct targeted enforcement on Highway 99, focusing on impairment, excessive speed, and aggressive driving—factors that raise risks for everyone else if a driver makes a mistake. If you see a vehicle travelling the wrong way or otherwise creating an immediate danger, the guidance from police is straightforward: do not try to intervene. Slow down, move to the right as far as safely possible, and call 911 as soon as you can do so safely. Share your direction of travel, the closest landmark or kilometre marker if available, the vehicle description and licence plate if you have it, and whether there are injuries or a collision. Dispatchers can get information to officers quickly and, when needed, coordinate closures or alerts.
Driver awareness also plays a role in prevention. There are a few simple habits that reduce risk on Highway 99 access points, especially in darkness or poor weather. Approach intersections and turn lanes at a speed that gives you time to confirm signage and lane arrows. If you’re leaving a parking lot or a side street near the highway, take an extra moment to check for “Wrong Way/Do Not Enter” signs that face you—those signals are easy to miss when you’re focused on gaps in traffic. If GPS directions suggest a manoeuvre that contradicts posted signs, choose the signage over the screen and take the longer route if needed. And if you’re driving visitors or renters who are new to the corridor, a quick reminder to follow the posted guidance goes a long way.
Community groups and local businesses can support this effort by sharing seasonal safety reminders—particularly before long weekends and during darker, rainy months when visibility goes down. Driving schools and employer safety meetings are natural spots to reinforce good practices at highway access points. These reminders don’t have to be complicated: slow down, scan for arrows and signs, and never drive impaired or distracted.
Data helps focus improvements. Collision and near-miss information from police, MOTI, and ICBC can identify patterns that may not be obvious from a single incident. We’ve asked MOTI whether there are any upcoming audits or maintenance checks planned for Squamish-area highway access points and whether enhanced “Wrong Way/Do Not Enter” treatments are under consideration. We’ve also requested any available local numbers from RCMP on wrong-way calls for service in the Sea to Sky in recent years. If those data can be shared publicly, they will help residents and decision-makers understand where attention is most needed.
In the meantime, residents who notice a safety concern on Highway 99 or at a connecting local road can report it. Highway maintenance issues and sign visibility concerns can be submitted to MOTI or the corridor’s maintenance contractor. Municipal matters on District streets can be sent to the District of Squamish. Clear descriptions—location, time, direction, and what you observed—help crews respond efficiently.
Road safety is not an abstract policy conversation; it is the sum of design, enforcement, maintenance, and the everyday choices we make behind the wheel. The recent wrong-way report serves as a timely nudge to check that those pieces are all working as they should. Squamish drivers know the corridor well, and that local knowledge is an asset when it’s channelled into practical feedback and steady, responsible driving.
We will share updates from Squamish RCMP and the RCMP Sea to Sky Traffic Services as they become available. Residents can also watch for notices from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and DriveBC regarding any safety reviews or changes. If MOTI confirms a review of local highway access points or signage enhancements, we’ll publish those details so the community knows what to expect and where to provide input.
