Road safety is a shared priority in Squamish, and recent community conversations about wrong-way driving have brought that into sharp focus. Many of us use Highway 99 and the network of local roads every day, often in changing weather and lighting conditions. When reports of a driver going the wrong way surface, even without confirmed details, they serve as a reminder to take a fresh look at how our community, local police, and the Province work together to prevent serious incidents and respond quickly when they occur.
Highway 99 is a provincial highway managed by the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, while the District of Squamish is responsible for local streets and intersections that connect to the highway. Enforcement on the corridor involves RCMP officers who patrol local roads and BC Highway Patrol members who focus on provincial highways throughout the Sea to Sky. This shared jurisdiction is standard in BC, and it means that coordination among agencies is essential—especially for rare but high-risk situations like wrong-way driving.
Wrong-way collisions are uncommon, but transportation safety research consistently notes they tend to be severe when they occur. The goal is to keep them from happening at all. Officials typically rely on a combination of design and enforcement to prevent these events and reduce their impact. Common measures include clear “Do Not Enter” and “Wrong Way” signage at off-ramps, pavement arrows and markings, rumble strips, reflective sign posts, lighting where warranted, and frequent line-painting to keep guidance visible in wet or dark conditions. The Province also uses roadside message boards to alert drivers to hazards and to share safety reminders during weather events, construction, or long weekends when traffic volumes spike.
Closer to home, residents often point to the connections between Squamish neighbourhoods and the highway as places where attention matters most: areas near Cleveland Avenue, Industrial Way, Commercial Way, Garibaldi Way, and other busy access points. These are gateways for commuters, visitors, and freight, and they can become complicated when visibility is poor or when unfamiliar drivers navigate for the first time. While we do not have confirmed details from police about any recent wrong-way incident at the time of writing, the concerns being raised by locals are timely and constructive. They invite practical questions: Is signage at our highway ramps as clear as it could be? Are line markings bright and consistent year-round? Is vegetation trimmed back to improve sightlines? Are there locations where pavement arrows or additional reflective markers would help?
The District of Squamish and the Province routinely review safety needs as traffic grows and neighbourhoods evolve. Local planning work around Loggers Lane East and Finch Drive has underscored that transportation and land use go hand in hand; new homes and businesses add trips that must be supported by safe, predictable connections. That review can include everything from intersection design and traffic calming on local streets to advocacy for provincial changes at nearby highway access points. Residents often ask how they can contribute to this process. In practice, community feedback—especially when it identifies a specific ramp, corner, or sightline issue—helps staff prioritize locations for a closer look.
On the enforcement side, RCMP in the Sea to Sky regularly conduct campaigns to address impaired driving, excessive speed, distracted driving, and high-risk behaviours, with targeted patrols during weekends, holidays, and seasonal weather shifts. Police routinely encourage anyone who sees a vehicle travelling the wrong way to call 911 immediately when it is safe to do so, and to provide a description, direction of travel, and location. The guidance is consistent across BC: do not try to alert or stop the driver yourself from a moving vehicle; instead, reduce your own risk by pulling over safely, turning on your hazard lights if needed, and calling for help. If you encounter confusing signage or a near-miss that doesn’t require an emergency response, the issue can also be reported through non-emergency channels so it can be reviewed by the appropriate agency.
Preventive work is as important as enforcement. That includes regular maintenance and replacement of signs, frequent line painting, replacing worn or obscured pavement arrows, trimming roadside vegetation, and reviewing illumination where warranted. In some locations, enhanced “Wrong Way” and “Do Not Enter” signs, additional reflectors, or rumble strips on ramp approaches may reduce confusion. These solutions are widely used tools in the provincial toolkit and can be applied when a site review shows they would improve safety without creating new issues. Squamish has also benefited from ongoing Sea to Sky corridor improvements over the years—from geometric upgrades to signage and surfacing—work that is guided by collision data, operational observations, and public input.
Data is a critical part of this conversation. ICBC and the Province publish collision information that helps identify patterns and inform priorities. While collision maps do not typically single out wrong-way incidents due to their rarity, they can highlight where collisions cluster and whether certain movements or times of day deserve further attention. Locally, this can point to measures such as extended turn lanes, refreshed markings, or adjustments to signal timing where signals exist on local arterials that feed the highway. Residents who use these routes every day often see the small things before the statistics catch up, which is why consistent, detailed reporting is so valuable.
Education and awareness are also part of the solution. Seasonal reminders about winter tires, speeds appropriate to conditions, and how to respond to unexpected hazards all contribute to safer roads. For wrong-way situations in particular, the message is straightforward: slow down, move right if you can do so safely, avoid sudden lane changes if traffic is behind you, and pull over to call 911 as soon as it’s safe. Visitors unfamiliar with the corridor may benefit from clear cues at hotel front desks, rental counters, and trailhead kiosks; local businesses and community groups can help share those reminders, especially during peak seasons.
Looking ahead, there are concrete next steps that can help address resident concerns. The District can request a focused safety review with the Ministry for specific ramps and frontage road connections around Squamish, with attention to signage visibility, pavement markings, and sightlines. That review can consider whether enhanced “Wrong Way” and “Do Not Enter” signage, additional reflectors, or rumble strips are appropriate. RCMP can continue targeted patrols and outreach, including reminders on how to report dangerous driving and what to do if a wrong-way vehicle is encountered. Community members can help by reporting near-misses, confusing signage, or maintenance issues with precise locations, dates, and times. Together, these actions support a culture of prevention that pays dividends across the network.
As our town grows, the roads we use every day need to keep pace—with clear rules, understandable layouts, and prompt maintenance. That work is not about any single incident; it is about building in layers of protection that reduce risk for everyone, whether you are heading to work before dawn, coming home after dark, or hosting friends from out of town. Squamish has a strong track record of stepping up when safety is at stake, and this is another opportunity to put that approach into practice.
We have requested comment from Squamish RCMP and the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure on recent resident concerns and whether any specific safety reviews are planned around highway access points near Squamish. We will share updates as soon as they are confirmed. In the meantime, residents can report emergencies by calling 911; check current road conditions at DriveBC; and submit non-emergency concerns about signage, markings, or sightlines through the District of Squamish and the Ministry’s maintenance reporting channels. Continued coordination among the District, the Province, and the RCMP remains the path forward for safety improvements on Highway 99 and the local roads that connect to it.
