Updated: Fri Nov. 06 2009 17:50:12

ctvwinnipeg.ca

The Trans-Canada Highway will undergo upgrades along a stretch of road in Headingley that has seen a number of fatal crashes.

The provincial and federal governments are spending more than $11 million to build a new median which will run for 1.7 km from the John Blumberg Golf Course to the Husky gas station. Turning lanes and new service roads will also be part of the work.

RCMP say it's a dangerous stretch of highway because there are four lanes of traffic with no concrete median separating them.

A crash in October 2007 killed a married couple, while another crash killed a 36-year-old woman in March 2000.

The province says about half of the stretch of highway has already been improved.

Headingley RCMP Cpl. Larry Dalman says the number of crashes has been going down. In 2007, there were 39 crashes, while so far this year there have been 25.

Steve Mattheos, owner of the nearby Steve and Niki's Restaurant, says he wants to see the whole highway divided with a median right away.

"It's not going to (get) cheaper a few years down the road and it's cheaper to do the whole thing right now," says Mattheos.

Officials say future roadwork will take significant planning, utility revisions and acquisition of developed property.

The 1.7 km stretch of work announced Friday will be completed in 2012.

- with a report from CTV's Rachel Lagacé