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Woman's death in collision on Que.'s Highway 50 raising questions about road's safety

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A woman died in a car crash on April 27 on Highway 50, a stretch of road considered deadly by many locals.

Sophie Chenier's family is the latest to plead for the government to take action and improve safety on the road between Gatineau and Mirabel.

"It's called the Highway of Death," said her brother Martin Chenier, from the nearby town of Lachute.

He said his sister was a cheerful person who always brought happiness to the family.

"She loved bringing joy to the family," he said.

About 60 per cent of the highway only has one lane in each direction and after years of local residents and politicians calling for the highway to be widened, the province launched a multi-million dollar project to add two more lanes along 96 of the 158-kilometre road.

That, however, won't be completed until 2032.

What's most painful about the loss, said Martin, was that he feels it was preventable.

The other driver, a 35-year-old man, was arrested for impaired driving and Martin said he's in disbelief that this is still happening in 2024.

"There's so many alternatives today, from taxis to Ubers," he said.

Although he deplores the role the driver played in his sister's death, Martin said it's the lack of action on the part of the Quebec Transport Ministry that he is most frustrated with.

"There's nothing in place to prevent collisions," he said. "No concrete blocks, no cables to prevent vehicles crosssing the centre line."

Since December alone, four other people have lost their lives on the same stretch of highway.

Between 2020 and 2022, the Transport Ministry has recorded 14 deaths.

Martin Chernier and his family have one clear message for the province: "Act before someone else dies." 

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