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RCMP promise enforcement of Highway 44 construction zones

Work slated to start this week
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Westlock RCMP will be actively patrolling the Highway 44 construction zones which start May 8 and last until Oct. 15.

WESTLOCK – Drivers travelling on Highway 44 this summer be warned: RCMP will be patrolling the construction zones which start May 8 and last until Oct. 15.

Acting Westlock RCMP Detachment commander Cpl. Riley Sutherland said May 4 that their early caution is to ensure drivers watch their speeds in the construction zones as they can range anywhere from 20 km/h to the posted limit and if they break them, the fines are double.

While a roughly one-kilometre stretch of Highway 44 in front of the Westlock County Industrial Park will be upgraded — Westlock County councillors signed off in late 2022 on an agreement with Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors to commit a little over $700,000 in municipal funding to allow the province to tender the $1.4 million project — Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock MLA Glenn van Dijken recently confirmed the additional work will be completed over the next two construction seasons, 2023-2024, and is intended to “help increase both traffic safety and vehicle flow.”

While the provincial document lists the specific location for 2.2 kilometres of southbound passing lanes on Highway 44 south at kilometre markers 56.718 to 59.100, van Dijken could only confirm it’ll be north of the Pickardville turnoff. Meanwhile, Township Road 594 is slated for an “intersection treatment plan” as in the summer of 2018, the province spent $21.5 million repaving 38 kilometres of Highway 44 up to that road.

“Most of the time the (construction) crews are good about adjusting the signs to what is a safe speed for people to travel at when they’re not there, after hours or on weekends,” said Sutherland. “People need to be mindful that workers can be tucked down in spots where they can’t be seen, so we all need to take extra care and attention.”

Sutherland also said that in spots of the construction zones, traffic will be down to a single lane of traffic meaning there will be delays.

“And if that’s going to be a frustration for some, I recommend they choose an alternate route as we have a couple of other highways right nearby,” she added.

Downtown door checker

RCMP received a report around 9 p.m., May 1, of a man checking the door handles of businesses in the downtown core.

And despite “numerous patrols” Sutherland said they were unable to locate the man, who was described as wearing a dark hoodie. She said that 90 per cent of the time these individuals are looking to make an easy score via a crime of opportunity to “fuel current habits”, while the remainder can be chalked up to mental health issues.

In addition to reminding business owners to ensure their doors are locked after hours and to have security cameras and alarms installed and working, Sutherland highlighted the fact that if residents see suspicious people or incidents, they should call them.

“If people are observing this type of behaviour, call it in and we’ll go take a look and try to locate them and find out who they are and why they’re doing it,” she said.

George Blais, TownandCountryToday.com

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