Cape Breton councillor calls on N.S. to install crosswalks along busy highway after fatality

A Cape Breton councillor is calling on the Nova Scotia government to install more crosswalks along a busy highway after a number of people have been hit, including a man that died.

Michael Tutty was killed in a hit-and-run collision on Highway 104 in Howie Centre, N.S., in February. He was 42.

His family believes his body had been lying on the ground for quite some time before it was found.

Tutty's family and Coun. Steve Parsons are calling on the province to make it safer for people who walk along the route -- one of the busiest highways in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality -- to cross the road.

However, Parsons says the Department of Transportation has not approved the crosswalk, despite the CBRM’s offer to pay for the project.

"To do a traffic count, I talked to our chief of police today, and he's offered to use our equipment to do traffic counts on this road, so I don't understand why this can't get done," said Parsons. "The residents aren't asking for a pedway, they’re not asking for a catwalk. We just want some white paint and lines and signing to create a safe environment."

Parsons adds there have been several collisions involving vehicles and pedestrians along Highway 104 -- a route that is owned the province -- since 2019.

His request is under review by the Department of Transportation, but he says a decision may not be made until later this year.

As for Tutty's case, police say no vehicle showing evidence of a collision was found at the scene, and no arrests have been made.

His family says it could take 300 days for the RCMP to sort through the evidence in the case, but they’re holding onto hope that someone will be held responsible for Tutty’s death.