Alberta project targets safer highway construction zones

A pilot project using a digital display to notify drivers of their speed was recently launched in Alberta in order to test the impact of speed monitoring on motorists’ driving habits in highway construction zones.
The Alberta Solicitor General and Public Security, Parks Canada, RCMP and Affiliated Computer Services partnered to test the use of speed monitoring equipment as a deterrent for motorists speeding through construction zones in Banff National Park.
The test site will be part of the federally-funded Trans-Canada Highway twinning project. The pilot project will run for two weeks.
“The focus of this project is on the safety of both construction workers and motorists on Alberta highways,” Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security Harvey Cenaik says. “It will help raise awareness among motorists about the serious consequences of bad driving habits.”
A digital display will notify drivers of their speed before they reach the speed monitoring equipment. This will give motorists the opportunity to slow down to the posted speed and reduce the risk to construction workers. Drivers who exceed the posted speed limit will be mailed a warning notice that they were speeding in a construction zone during a traffic safety pilot project.
Protecting construction workers and others who work on the province’s streets and highways is a priority for
The Alberta government recently passed legislation to reduce speed limits when passing emergency workers, tow truck operators and construction workers on the roadside. These new laws include increased fines.