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City cracks down on drivers running barricades

The City of North Battleford is fed up with drivers who insist on driving around safety barricades. City officials indicate those who drive around barricades will have their driver information forwarded to the RCMP.

The City of North Battleford is fed up with drivers who insist on driving around safety barricades.

City officials indicate those who drive around barricades will have their driver information forwarded to the RCMP.

A news release was reissued this week to draw attention to the problem. City officials say the safety of city workers is frequently being threatened by drivers who insist on driving past barricades and through construction zones.

Regional Optimist cameras picked up on the problem in July 2010 during the city flood. Drivers were photographed driving their vehicles past barricades set up by City workers and into flooded intersections.

The problem has more recently become a safety concern for City workers in construction zones. North Battleford health and safety co-ordinator Steve Gledhill noted that a fast-moving vehicle came, in one instance, within inches of hitting a City employee. The City now says in their latest media release that there have been several close calls.

"Driving around barricades and into a construction zone not only threatens the safety of our workers and potential charges to the driver, it may also damage infrastructure under repair, which leads to higher repair costs," said Gledhill in a media statement.

Gledhill is reminding drivers to be patient and pay attention not only in construction zones but wherever crews are present on or off the streets.