Orange zone speeding fines increased

NDP says hike not enough

REGINA — Two months after the death of a highway construction worker, the governing Saskatchewan Party has raised fines for speeding through construction zones.

Starting today, those caught driving more than 60 kilometres per hour in an orange zone will automatically be charged $210 — $70 more than the previous level.

“The increase in fines was certainly an area we heard from the general public over and over again that needed to be addressed,” Highways and Infrastructure Minister Don McMorris told reporters Wednesday.

Fines will also rise by $3 per kilometre more than the 60 km/h limit. For example, if a motorist is caught going 80 km/h through a construction area, he or she will be ticketed $270. Penalties are even stricter for those caught going faster than 90 km/h. A driver going 110 km/h through a construction zone on the Trans-Canada Highway faces a $420 ticket.

Starting next spring, rumble strips designed to slow traffic approaching

“PEOPLE AREN’T NECESSARILY SLOWING DOWN. IS IT THAT THEY’RE NOT NOTICING IT? GATES AND RUMBLE STRIPS USED IN OTHER PROVINCES HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE.” DON MCMORRIS

construction crews will also be installed in priority work zones on the Trans-Canada Highway and Highways 6, 11, 16 and 39, McMorris said. Gates will also be erected along the sides of the road to narrow the area leading into orange zones.

On Aug. 24, Ashley Dawn Richards, 18, was struck and killed by a vehicle allegedly speeding through the construction area in which Richards was working on Highway 39 near Midale.

Premier Brad Wall quickly spoke out about the matter, calling on those in the construction industry and officials within the Ministry of Highways to present measures that would curb speeding through construction zones.

McMorris said Wednes- day construction crews continued to report instances of speeding through orange zones after Richards’ death.

According to the RCMP, officers have written more than 415 speeding tickets in construction zones in the past two months.

“What we have seen is people aren’t necessarily slowing down,” McMorris said. “So is it that they’re not noticing it? Gates and rumble strips are used in other provinces and so they’ve been effective.”

He added the ministry may allow the use of photo radar in construction zones.

While the Opposition NDP heralded stricter penalties for those caught speeding through orange zones, its Saskatchewan Government Insurance critic Danielle Chartier accused the government of “overblown PR” in the weeks leading up to Wednesday’s announcement.

In last week’s throne speech, the province said “fines for speeding through construction zones will be increased to triple the normal penalty.”

The normal penalty for speeding through an orange zone was $140, making the new $210 fine less than double the previous number.

“Changing the fine to $210 from $140 is not tripling the penalty, by my math,” Chartier said, “and we think that people expected a stronger change.”