Mirabel, Que., residents call for action following another fatal crash on Route 148

Mirabel, Que., residents call for action following another fatal crash on Route 148

Speed will be reduced to 70km/hr on stretch of the highway

The speed limit on a stretch of highway in Mirabel, Que., will be reduced after yet another fatal accident.

In the coming days, the stretch of Route 148 east and west of Montée Villeneuve will be reduced from 80 km/h to 70 km/h.

The reduction in speed is one of the changes being implemented after a 45-year-old woman and a 63-year-old man died on Monday on the highway near St-Vincent. The fatalities mark four deaths in three months on this stretch of road.

Mirabel resident Sylvie Lefebvre started a petition in June imploring the Quebec government to step in and make changes to improve safety.

2 dead following collision involving semi-truck on Route 148 in Mirabel, Que.

The petition now has over 2,300 signatures. Lefebvre says reducing the speed limit is a good starting point but ideally she would like to see more done.

“What is required at these intersections are stop signs," she said.

"Slowing down is good but they need to stop so that people have time to turn onto the 148.”

'We must stop merely reacting to tragedies': mayor

Mirabel Mayor Roxanne Therrien has been requesting significant changes since 2010.

“For years, we have been calling for lower speed limits and a review of existing safety measures to strengthen them. At some point, we must stop merely reacting to tragedies; we need to prevent future ones,” Therrien said.

Quebec's Transport Ministry says the intersections of Route 148 with Rang Saint-Vincent, Montée Villeneuve and Rang Saint-Étienne are being redesigned.

Transport Ministry spokesperson Louis-André Bertrand says the final options are still being discussed.

Authorities have ruled out putting in roundabouts, which doesn't work for the rural area.

One option could be an intersection with lights or a new configuration, but at the moment they are still evaluating the best option. Bertrand said there is currently no timeline on these projects, but they will not be completed this year.

Lefebvre feels the ministry's response is inadequate.

“Are we going to wait another six months and have another eight deaths on this road?" she asked. "Are we going to wait for that … or can we not act now?”

In the short term, Bertrand said reducing speed in the area and increasing police presence are the immediate mitigation measures.

Authorities will have to also raise awareness about the speed limit.

Andie Bennett is a journalist covering Quebec's Laurentians and Lanaudière regions. Andie lives in Morin-Heights, Que., and has an office space in Piedmont. She can be reached at andie.bennett@cbc.ca