I noticed on a Saturday there does not appear to be any work being done in the construction zone but all the single file and speed limit signs are still up. Does anyone understand how annoying it is to drive single file at 80K, then 60K then 50K for 5 kilometres only to find no construction or the construction is off the highway on the other side?
The car in front of me slowed to exactly the posted speed for the 5 kilometres. Of course at the end of the “construction “ I noticed at least 15 vehicles behind me.
Am I the only one annoyed by this? Would it be so hard to cover up those speed signs when construction isn’t taking place or there is absolutely no danger to construction crews? Is there any reason the distance where the speed and single file starts needs to be 5 kilometres to the actual construction?
By the way, I always obey construction zone signs as I know it means safety for the construction crews but as described but a rethink needs to be done.
What Is A Construction Zone?
The Motor Vehicle Act does not define what a construction zone is. I had a look at the Transportation Act as well, but it was not defined there either.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) has a Traffic Management Manual for Work on Roadways that sets the accepted standards for work on roadways. Once the signs required by the standard are posted, I would expect that the courts would accept that as being within a construction zone for the purposes of the MVA.
The signs are likely left in place because some hazard exists even though the workers have gone home for the day. Failing to do this might result in legal liability if a collision were to occur.
There are a number of specific rules for when you are driving in a construction zone:
Work in progress
138 On a highway where new construction, reconstruction, widening, repair, marking or other work is being carried out, traffic control devices must be erected indicating that persons or equipment are working on the highway.
Erection of speed sign
139 On a highway where new construction, reconstruction, widening, repair, marking or other work is being carried out, traffic control devices must be erected to limit the rate of speed of vehicles or to restrict the manner in which the vehicles are to proceed on the highway.
Obedience to speed signs
140 Where traffic control devices as indicated in section 138 or 139 are erected or placed on the highway, a person must not drive or operate a vehicle at a greater rate of speed than, or in a manner different from, that indicated on the signs.
Obeying flagger
141 If a flagger is controlling the movements of traffic around the section of highway being worked on, a person must not drive or operate a vehicle other than as directed by the flagger.
Obeying traffic control person
141.1 (1) In this section, "authorization" means an authorization that is prescribed or authorized by a regulation under section 209.1 or a resolution or bylaw of the council of a municipality under section 124.2.
(2) If a traffic control person is controlling the movements of traffic on a highway, a person must obey the directions of the traffic control person.
(3) If a highway or lane has been designated as a designated use highway or designated use lane, as the case may be, the driver of a vehicle must, on the request of a traffic control person or peace officer, produce to the traffic control person or peace officer an authorization, and allow the authorization to be taken in hand and inspected by the traffic control person or peace officer.
(4) If a driver or person in charge of a motor vehicle does not produce an authorization to use the designated use highway or designated use lane on the request of a traffic control person or peace officer under subsection (3), the traffic control person or peace officer may direct the driver or person in charge of the motor vehicle to remove the motor vehicle from that highway or lane immediately.
Removal of temporary sign
142 A person must not leave temporary traffic control devices in place on a highway after the reason for them being there no longer exists.
Discuss the Issue
The construction firm in charge is going to follow the MOTI guidelines carefully because they don't want to be sued for negligence if a crash occurs because they did not.
At major projects there is usually a sign that identifies the contractor responsible. You could contact them and ask about it.
If you are not satisfied with that conversation, you may wish to discuss it with the MOTI district engineer.
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Thanks to our Site Admin Guy for finding the relevant link to the legislation over construction signage and like that. This place is a great resource.
My question for the OP would be what steps he/she has taken toward resolving these issues with the local authorities? It's hard to argue that police enforcement of traffic behaviour through any construction zone is over-zealous - even though there may be other locations where they could be more effectively employed. This is a hazardous area for the people working in it.
This is a frustrating time of year for motorists, being the optimum season for tackling construction work; so many utilities are buried underneath, under various governances, and when all's said and done and reconstructed then the top surface has to be restored. And these various constructors will utilize different companies to control their work zones; some are way better than others (I for one am sick and tired of seeing some cigarette smoking young woman with an indifferent attitude paying more attention to the excavation than the traffic control she's supposedly responsible for - you gotta love the internet, that sentence was so politically incorrect, eh?).
But it's never that difficult to find out who's in charge, and responsible, at various levels in order to launch a complaint about inadequate traffic control, either by the construction people and their traffic services people, or by the local police if they seem to be ignoring a potentially dangerous situation. In places like Kelowna, the local newspaper is a great place to articulately voice your concerns.
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The Granville Street bridge in Vancouver is currently a six lane road. Two other lanes are currently under construction. The construction speed zone is 30 km/h the length of the whole bridge.
I always obey the speed limit, but get honked at at least once every time I cross the bridge. Cars swerve around me and pass going as much as 70 or 80 km/h. I sometimes take a taxi or an Uber, and they regularly go over 70 on the bridge too. Even buses and police cars don't obey the construction speed limit.
I drive this bridge multiple times per day, and have never once seen any form of speed enforcement.
It has gotten so bad that I now feel genuinely unsafe driving the speed limit. The cars swerving around me to pass come far too close to my vehicle, and at a high rate of speed. I always stay in the right lane, and there's plenty of room to pass me, but the road rage directed at me is also terrifying.
I honestly don't think there's much point in talking to City Hall, as they have never been helpful on this type of topic before. And have you ever tried to even get a hold of someone at the VPD?
What would you suggest I do? I don't want to speed, but I also don't want to get hit either.
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Is this about politics, safety, or law enforcement?