Police increase enforcement to protect roadside workers

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – It’s a staple of nice weather in Metro Vancouver — construction and flaggers. And in a bid to keep roadside workers safe, police across the region are stepping up enforcement to kick-off the seventh annual Cone Zone awareness campaign.

There are a lot of construction sites in the city like on the Burrard Street Bridge including the intersection with Pacific Street which will continue creating long lines until the fall and it is on schedule despite all the rain.

“Starting on Southwest Marine Drive, that’s a full closure of Marine Drive between Granville and Camosun Streets. We’re going back in to continue the sewer upgrades and then also the safety improvements to walking and cycling facilities in that stretch. And then a bit later in the summer months, towards the end of June, early July, we’ll be getting started on the Knight Street and Marine Drive intersection improvements,” explains Devan Fitch with the City of Vancouver, who adds that work runs until early September.

He adds the weather earlier this year definitely had an effect on the timeline. “We did have a slower start than we would have liked at the beginning of the year. Of course there was the snow effects at the beginning and then all the wet weather we’ve had recently. So, we’re looking strategically with our projects and where it makes sense we’re supplementing our crews with external forces,” adds Fitch.

Meantime, the City of Surrey’s Scott Newman says it’s an exceptionally busy season for road widening. “It would be a 100th Avenue in City Centre between 140th and 148th Avenues. Construction has already commenced and it’ll be done in spring of 2018.”

Another big capital project south of the Fraser River will impact drivers on 64th Avenue between 192nd and 196th Streets which is supposed to be completed sometime this fall.

Remember, NEWS 1130 Traffic has updates every 10 minutes on the ones and traffic alerts to get you there on time.