Traffic safety is a community responsibility in Squamish, and a recent wrong-way driving incident reported by a local resident has many of us asking the same question: how do we reduce the risk of rare but high-consequence mistakes on and near Highway 99? While details of the individual experience are not the focus here, the concern it raised is widely shared—whether you commute daily, shuttle kids to activities, or welcome visitors to town.
Wrong-way driving is uncommon, but when it happens the risk of a head‑on crash is severe. Familiar factors are often at play: darkness or poor weather, confusing wayfinding at complex intersections, driver impairment or fatigue, and a momentary lapse of attention. In a community like ours—situated along a scenic highway with fast-changing conditions and a heavy seasonal influx of visitors—those factors can line up more easily than we might think.
The Sea to Sky corridor has seen major road improvements since the 2010 upgrades, and safety has been strengthened in many sections with clearer sightlines, centre barriers, improved surfacing, and more consistent signage. Even so, the basics still matter most. The BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) relies on standard elements at high‑risk locations: “Do Not Enter” and “Wrong Way” signs placed where drivers can’t miss them, large directional arrows on pavement, rumble strips, and reflective posts that help maintain lane discipline in poor light. Those tools are designed to prevent wrong turns before they start, and to catch a driver’s attention quickly if a mistake is in progress.
The RCMP’s Sea to Sky Traffic Services continues to concentrate on behaviours that drive serious crashes: speed, impairment, distraction, and aggressive passing. Local members also respond to reports of dangerous or erratic driving. If you see a vehicle headed the wrong direction toward oncoming traffic, police advise pulling over safely and calling 911 as soon as it’s practical to do so. Descriptions, plate details, direction of travel, and the nearest intersection or landmark help dispatchers move resources quickly. For non‑emergency traffic concerns or near‑miss locations that you want flagged for future patrols, the Squamish RCMP non‑emergency line is the right channel. Official comment from RCMP regarding the recent report is pending; we will share updates as they are confirmed.
Local government plays a role as well. Where provincial highways run through municipalities, the District of Squamish works with MOTI on intersections, frontage roads, and signage that affect how drivers enter and exit Highway 99. That coordination is ongoing, particularly as traffic volumes and land uses evolve. A review of sightlines, pavement markings, and sign placements after winter can be a simple, effective measure, especially at ramp terminals and intersections that may be confusing for visitors. We have asked MOTI and the District whether a location‑specific review is planned in light of the recent concern; formal responses are pending.
Residents who drive these routes every day are a valuable source of practical feedback. If you notice any place where signs are blocked by vegetation, pavement arrows are worn down, lane markings fade at dusk or in rain, or lighting feels inadequate, share that information with the District’s transportation team and MOTI’s local area office. Concrete, map‑based reports help engineers triage sites for repainting, vegetation trimming, sign relocation, or added reflectivity. Near‑miss reports to RCMP also contribute to a data picture that supports targeted enforcement and safety reviews.
There is also a public-education opportunity as we head into the spring and summer surge on the corridor. Visitor‑oriented reminders—posted where they are most likely to be seen—can make a difference. These might include refreshed “Keep Right Except to Pass” messages, clear lane designation at key junctions, fatigue warnings on digital message boards ahead of long drives, and simple prompts at trailheads and attractions that guide out‑of‑town drivers back to Highway 99 the correct way. The goal is not more noise, but well‑placed cues that reduce confusion at decision points.
Technology can be part of the conversation. Other jurisdictions have used enhanced “Wrong Way” signs with high‑visibility borders, larger dual‑sign installations at ramp mouths, and roadway treatments that define the correct path more strongly at night or in rain. Any change here would need to fit MOTI standards and be guided by data. Even small upgrades—such as adding a second “Do Not Enter” sign on the opposite side of a narrow entrance, or installing oversized pavement arrows at locations with unusual geometry—can help intercept driver error.
Enforcement and engineering are only two legs of the stool; the third is habit. ICBC’s provincial data has consistently shown that excess speed, distraction, and impairment remain leading contributors to serious crashes in B.C. While wrong‑way cases may start with a missed cue, the danger escalates quickly when other drivers are travelling too fast to react or are not fully focused on the road ahead. On our end, staying within posted limits, scanning well ahead at intersections, and making a point of leaving a buffer in the right lane—especially after dark or in poor weather—are simple steps that buy everyone more time to respond.
Squamish residents also point out a few low‑cost fixes that they’d like to see tested locally. Clearer wayfinding for visitors between popular recreation sites and Highway 99, consistent arrows and “Exit Only” markings on commercial access roads near the highway, and renewed attention to signage where frontage roads run parallel to the highway can all reduce opportunities for a wrong turn. Community policing volunteers and Speed Watch teams can complement RCMP presence by reminding drivers to slow down at transition zones—industrial areas, school approaches, and neighbourhoods that feed directly into the highway.
As with many safety issues, the answers are not dramatic. They are ongoing, practical tasks: repainting lines after winter, trimming a tree that hides a sign, adding an extra arrow, calibrating enforcement to times and places with the greatest benefit, and sharing plain‑language guidance before the busiest travel periods. Those small actions, accumulated, are what keep mistakes from becoming tragedies.
We will continue to seek comment from the Squamish RCMP, the District of Squamish, and the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure regarding any planned reviews or adjustments prompted by the recent concern. In the meantime, residents can report immediate hazards or dangerous driving by calling 911 when safe to do so, use the Squamish RCMP non‑emergency line for follow‑up information, and submit location‑specific roadway observations to the District and MOTI. DriveBC remains the best source for current highway conditions and advisories.
Squamish Blog will update this story as official information is confirmed. If MOTI initiates a signage or road‑marking review in our area, or if the RCMP launches a targeted awareness campaign for the spring and summer travel season, we’ll share those details here so residents can weigh in and track progress.
