Author: John Mark Aquino

Onsite media event highlights the dangers of speeding through construction zones

This year’s efforts to encourage Saskatchewan drivers to slow down in orange zones saw better results through a new message
delivery tactic. 

Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI), the provincial driver and vehicle licensing regulator, hosts traffic safety spotlights each month. In July, the focus is on orange zones and the importance of slowing down to keep road workers safe. This year, an extra effort was made to create a unique experience for reporters delivering that message. 

Media were invited to an active construction zone in the Saskatoon area in early July. There, they interviewed Shantel Lipp, Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association (SHCA) president; Tyler McMurchy, SGI’s manager of media relations; and Staff Sgt. Patrick Barbar of the Saskatoon Police Service’s Traffic Unit. 

McMurchy explained why this approach was initiated.

“Now, we could just put out a news release and the media may or may not call,” he explained. “Doing something here in an actual work zone gives the media the opportunity to get pictures and video, and the opportunity to see firsthand what it’s like to see vehicles travelling past a working construction zone.

“That’s a perspective that they don’t often get, and it’s something that’s really valuable as they tell their stories and as we deliver that message for traffic safety.” 

For reporters, the risk presented by speeding drivers in a construction zone was more real. They learned about the activity happening in an active construction zone and why it’s necessary to drive through these zones at a lower speed.

“Construction zones can be unpredictable places,” said Barbar. “There is machinery working and moving around. There are workers all over the place. And there can be hidden dangers like trenches or other excavations. It’s important not only to slow down to the speed limit, but actually pay attention to your surroundings and be prepared to react to anything unexpected that might occur.” 

Each August, SGI releases the results of enforcement activity in orange zones in July. That release focuses on the number of tickets for offenses specific to orange zones. 

This year, there were 71 roadside tickets issued by police officers. That’s the lowest number since 2016. 

These numbers do not include photo enforcement in construction zones. Drivers who were ticketed as a result of photo enforcement will be receiving tickets in the mail.

However, despite a decrease in tickets, there were still some incidents over the summer. One notable occurrence was recorded on video by Allan Barilla, the general manager at Morsky Construction and a director on the SHCA board.

In late July, Barilla was overseeing a 13-kilometre stretch of roadwork on the eastbound lanes of Highway 16 between Denholm and Maymont, northwest of Saskatoon.

He told CTV News and CBC News that on that Monday afternoon, he had already called the RCMP to report a driver in a white truck who was trying to pass the line of cars in a closed lane.

Then, his crew members working at the start of that orange zone radioed him to warn of another driver in a red car speeding past the lineup of vehicles.

“They estimate he was doing about 140 kilometres an hour,” said Barilla. “He went through four of the cones … and they saw those go flying in the air.”

The driver allegedly weaved in and out of traffic, ran over cones and hit the ditch a couple of times.

“He not only passed in the closed-off lanes … sometimes he was trying to pass on the grass on their left side, whatever pavement he could have plus grass,” said Barilla.

When this driver got to the end of the orange zone, a cone got stuck under his car. He tried to dislodge it by swerving, but lost control and headed across the median into oncoming traffic. 

“He was going down the wrong side of the westbound (road), and then he finally hit some vehicles and ended up flipping over in the ditch on the north side,” said Barilla. 

“The young driver came within feet of nearly hitting at least 10 of our employees,” added Lipp.

Barilla said two members of his crew could not hear the radio calls and that they could have been hit, had one crew member not forgotten her tape measure off to the side. The sound of the car hitting a cone just before reaching their location also alerted them.

“He was endangering every other driver on the road. It’s unfortunate that this was not the only example of someone speeding or driving unsafely in a construction area that month,” said Lipp.

Following an investigation, RCMP charged a 21-year-old from North Battleford with several offenses, including impaired driving, dangerous operation of a vehicle and prohibited driving. He was to appear in a Saskatoon court on Sept. 1.

While this example is extreme, the danger presented by drivers choosing to drive faster than the posted speed limit is real every time it happens. In 2020, there were 101 collisions in orange zones around the province, resulting in 35 injuries and one death.

While 71 tickets are better than previous year’s numbers, it is still not low enough. 

“Our work isn’t done until we get that number down to zero,” said Lipp. “The Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association will continue working with SGI and our partners to make sure our workers stay safe.”

Barbar believes that is the best approach to address this issue. 

“For any traffic safety issue, there’s no one stakeholder who has the solution on their own. So, the police can’t be the end-all-be-all to the issue,” he said. “We need to work closely with all our partners, including the construction industry, SGI, and highway transport in order to achieve the goal of making these construction zones as safe as possible.” 

McMurchy appreciates the opportunity for SGI to work with the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association to make a difference.

“I can’t say enough good things about Shantel,” said McMurchy. “The folks at the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association were always so willing to find these opportunities, find these scenes for us to hold these media events. I know it has been something that the media has appreciated as well.”  

The federal government’s report on the responses to its call for input on a national infrastructure assessment appears to be setting the right strategy, in line with submissions from major construction associations, including the Western Canada Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association (WCR&HCA).

“We’re encouraged by Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna’s report, much of which looks to support our suggestions for how and why a national infrastructure assessment should be done,” said WCR&HCA president Chris Lorenc. “This is good news, and hopeful because it furthers the case for significant, long-term investment in our trade corridors and gateways, including a Western Canada Trade Gateways and Corridors Initiative, which we outlined in our submission on June 17.”

There were more than 300 submissions in response to the federal call for input to its Building Pathways to 2050: Moving Forward on the National Infrastructure Assessment.

The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) welcomed the federal report on submissions.

“Released on July 29, the federal government’s report on its National Infrastructure Assessment consultations appears to be a step in the right direction in terms of developing a comprehensive plan for funding and financing a long-term vision for Canada’s infrastructure,” the CCA said, in a communication to members.

Several of the key findings align directly with CCA recommendations, including accelerating the flow of much needed infrastructure investment to communities and a national vision for the future guided by evidence-based and independent expert advice through the development independent, apolitical advisory council, it said.

The seven findings in the federal report on submissions are:

1. The Government of Canada should create an independent advisory body, for example, a commission, to carry out the assessment and provide the government with impartial, expert and evidence-based advice on challenges and opportunities for major infrastructure in Canada covering all sectors of the economy:

• Driving economic growth and competitiveness 
• Achieving net zero emissions by 2050
• Building resilience to climate change
• Promoting inclusivity
• Measuring performance and long-term planning 

2. In order to ensure clear, fact-based advice on Canada’s infrastructure needs and the establishment of a long-term vision, the government should define a clear mandate for the independent advisory body, to conduct a National Infrastructure Assessment of all major infrastructure in Canada, to be updated on a periodic basis, that will include a comprehensive inventory of Canada’s infrastructure gaps, in-depth studies into infrastructure needs in Canada, and recommendations to the government. 

3. As a key component of Canada’s strengthened climate plan, the assessment should work to ensure that infrastructure investments drive us to net-zero emissions and build resilience to climate change. It should establish a strategic approach to near, medium and long-term investment prioritization for Canada for the next 30 years, based on strategic outcomes, including Canada’s economic growth and competitiveness, achieving net zero emissions by 2050, and promoting inclusivity and improving the quality of life for all Canadians. 

4. The independent advisory body should leverage global best practices and domestic experiences and consult and work closely with all levels of government, Indigenous communities, investors, experts, stakeholders, industry and Canadians more broadly to define key gaps and areas of historical underinvestment. 

5. The independent advisory body should engage directly with Indigenous communities to identify infrastructure needs and the infrastructure deficit, consistent with reconciliation and self-determination. 

6. In parallel, the government should: 

• a. Establish consistent, long-term funding guidelines to support sustainable investment, based on Canada’s fiscal capacity, global benchmarks and best practices and make a concerted and sustained effort to expand the range of funding sources beyond the tax base; 

• b. Create a standing process for improved coordination and collaboration between different orders of government, Indigenous communities and other infrastructure owners across the private and public sectors; 

• c. Assess the role of regulatory changes and other pricing mechanisms on future funding of infrastructure projects; 

• Continue to leverage the Canada Infrastructure Bank to accelerate infrastructure development and extend the government funding envelope beyond traditional public funding, by encouraging private sector financing. 

7. The assessment should include a clear set of investment recommendations, including proposed timelines and an infrastructure investment roadmap for Canada that is based on the results of the independent advisory body’s work and a clear understanding of the collective investment capacity. It should also identify new programs required to spur investment in specific areas and to facilitate partnership with the private sector, and it should identify opportunities to prioritize Canadian workers, companies, innovation and materials, including through procurement policies with a focus on sustainable infrastructure.

The report suggests the government will take the following steps:

1. Establish the independent, credible and non-partisan advisory body; provide it with a clear mandate and task it to making recommendations to government
2. Funding to support the work was proposed in Budget 2021 with a commitment of $22.6 million over four years starting 2021–22
3. The Assessment is to establish a near, medium and long-term infrastructure investment prioritization for the next 30 years
4. In parallel the government will look to improve coordination and collaboration with orders of government and others
5. The Canada Infrastructure Bank will continue to play a key and evolving role in developing government-investor partnerships and alternate/innovative financing approaches to expand the funding sources beyond the tax base
6. Commitment to continued engagement and collaboration as this process commences.

“This potentially marks a significant transformation of how investment – not spending – in infrastructure is planned, funded, executed and managed,” said Lorenc, who is also president of the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association.