Squamish residents spend a lot of time on Highway 99. Many of us commute, shuttle kids between activities, or head up and down the corridor on weekends. That is why a recent report from a local resident about a wrong-way driver has touched a nerve. Even when no one is hurt, a close call on a fast-moving route like the Sea to Sky is a reminder that safety on and off the highway is a shared responsibility, and that design, maintenance, enforcement, and driver awareness all matter.
Wrong-way driving incidents are rare, but they are high risk. Police treat them as an emergency because closing speeds can be extreme and the margin for error is slim. The RCMP asks anyone who sees a vehicle travelling the wrong way to call 911 and provide as much detail as safely possible, including location, direction of travel, vehicle description, and plate if available. That guidance is consistent with road-safety best practice: alert authorities quickly and avoid trying to intervene yourself.
Highway 99 through Squamish is a provincial highway managed by the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI). The corridor carries local traffic, regional commuters, freight, and visitors heading for outdoor destinations. Since the Olympic-era upgrades, many stretches include centre median barriers, rumble strips, reflective lane markings, and improved lighting in select locations. Within the municipal boundary, the highway meets a network of signalized intersections that serve neighbourhoods and commercial areas. Those transitions—from fast-moving highway to local access—require clear wayfinding and attentive driving, particularly after dark or in poor weather.
Experienced drivers know the Sea to Sky’s challenges: rapidly changing conditions, glare and shadows, heavy weekend volumes, and ongoing construction or maintenance. Add to that the risk factors that consistently show up in provincial collision data—speed, impairment, and distraction—and even a well-signed approach can become confusing. ICBC and police emphasize those same themes in year-round education and enforcement, including CounterAttack impaired driving campaigns and seasonal reminders to slow down and drive to conditions. From October 1 to April 30, winter tires are required on the Sea to Sky, a policy set by MOTI to improve traction and reduce cold-weather incidents. While those measures are not aimed specifically at wrong-way events, they support safer decision-making overall.
Residents who use the central Squamish access points every day often have a good sense of what works well and where small changes could help. Faded pavement arrows, vegetation that grows into sightlines, or construction detours that temporarily alter a familiar approach can add confusion. Community members have told us they want to see signage and markings kept crisp year-round, especially at on- and off-ramps and at the junctions where local roads meet the highway. That feedback aligns with standard prevention tools used across North America: larger “Do Not Enter” and “Wrong Way” signs placed low and high, high-contrast pavement arrows, red retroreflectors facing drivers who are on the wrong side, and rumble strips or delineators that guide motorists into the correct lane.
Engineering fixes are only part of the picture. Enforcement and education remain core to prevention. The Sea to Sky RCMP and BC Highway Patrol conduct regular speed and impairment enforcement along Highway 99, with targeted blitzes during long weekends and holidays when traffic volumes spike. Locally, the District of Squamish continues to roll out traffic-calming and visibility improvements on municipal roads, focusing on school zones and neighbourhood connectors where pedestrians and cyclists are most active. While wrong-way entries tend to occur on higher-speed facilities, clear habits formed on local streets—full stops, careful scans at decision points, and undistracted driving—carry over to the highway.
For drivers, a few practical reminders can reduce risk at complex junctions. Plan the last part of your route before you reach town, so you are not sorting out an unfamiliar turn at highway speed. Slow down early as signage begins, keep right unless passing, and follow the painted arrows through transitions. At night, remember that red reflectors are designed to face the “wrong way” side of a lane—if you see a row of red reflectors in front of you, stop safely and reassess. If you encounter a vehicle coming toward you in your lane, move to the right as far as it is safe to do so, reduce speed, and call 911 when you can do so safely. ICBC and police both caution against signalling or attempting to stop a wrong-way driver yourself; trained responders are best positioned to intercept safely.
Maintenance and rapid reporting help too. On municipal streets, residents can report damaged or obscured signs, burned-out streetlights, and worn pavement markings to the District of Squamish through its service request system. For issues on Highway 99, MOTI maintains online tools to report a highway problem, and DriveBC provides real-time advisory information for incidents and roadwork. Photos and precise locations help maintenance crews prioritize fixes, especially in seasons when grime and snow storage can reduce sign visibility.
Advocates also point to new technologies being tested elsewhere: low-mounted, high-intensity LED “Wrong Way” signs that flash when a vehicle approaches against traffic, or detection systems that alert police and traffic centres the moment a wrong-way entry occurs. These systems are designed to supplement, not replace, standard sign packages. British Columbia has steadily added roadside technology across the network for other safety applications—such as avalanche detection and variable speed signage—so it is reasonable to ask whether targeted wrong-way treatments could be appropriate at specific Sea to Sky locations. Any such step would require MOTI evaluation, engineering analysis, and coordination with RCMP.
We have asked the Sea to Sky RCMP and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure whether a recent wrong-way report has triggered a review of signage and markings at the highway access points serving Squamish. As of publication, a formal response is pending. We will share updates as they are confirmed, including any near-term maintenance actions, enforcement plans, or design changes under consideration. If you witnessed the incident and have already provided details to police, thank you; those reports help agencies pinpoint where additional attention is needed.
In the meantime, this is a good moment for a community check-in. If you notice a sign that is hard to read at night, a turn that feels ambiguous, or paint that has worn away, document it and send it to the right jurisdiction—District for local roads, MOTI for Highway 99. Talk to your household and teen drivers about staying alert through the highway-to-neighbourhood transition, and reinforce the basics: slow down, avoid distractions, and never drive impaired. As our community grows and the corridor gets busier, keeping the route safe is a shared effort among drivers, agencies, and the maintenance crews who work the Sea to Sky in all conditions.
For ongoing information, residents can monitor DriveBC for current highway conditions and incidents, review winter tire and seasonal requirements on the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure website, and follow the Sea to Sky RCMP for enforcement updates and safety tips. We will update this story when the RCMP and the Ministry provide further details on any review or planned improvements related to wrong-way prevention on Highway 99 in and around Squamish.
