Benjamin Carver's death sparks calls for highway twinning
Since 2009, 14 people have died on one stretch of Highway 104
The recent death of a 37-year-old Sheet Harbour man has sparked calls to twin a section of Highway 104.
Benjamin Donald Carver died Friday morning when his pickup truck crashed with a tractor-trailer in Marshy Hope, about 20 kilometres west of Antigonish.
“Spend the money. Fix it. How many lives have to be lost?” said Kent Smith, a friend of Carver's since childhood.
An online petition is calling for a roughly 37 kilometre-long stretch of highway between Sutherland’s River and Antigonish to be twinned. Since 2009, 14 people have died in that area.
Reverend Verna Dunlop will officiate Carver’s Tuesday funeral.
“As ministers, we have to deal with the families and it never gets any easier and if twinning the highway will save even one person's life, then it’s worth it,” she said.
Reverend Dunlop says Carver’s unexpected death is hitting the small Eastern Shore community hard.
“You enjoyed being in his presence because he had such a great way about him,” she said.
Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Geoff MacLellan previously said there has been some shoulder widening and rumble strips installed, but admits twinning the highway right now is just too expensive. A department spokesperson said it would cost at least $100 million.
MacLellan said the province is launching a safety review of that corridor of Highway 104 and it will be completed in February 2015.