While the price at the gas pumps should have more and more of us using alternate modes of transportation, the Battlefords remain a personal vehicle driven community.
The concepts of car pools, public transit and walking/biking to work elude most residents, and most of those behind the wheel love to grumble about the condition of the streets and highways upon which they drive.
This is the season when potholes pop up, or plunge down, with alarming regularity. Areas where emergency excavations were required to repair winter damaged water mains that were hastily repaired with a smattering of gravel quickly become pounded out road hazards.
So, as we grumble and complain and gingerly manoeuvre our way around the community, we need to keep in mind the brief expanse of what prairie dwellers know as spring and summer is also the window for repairs to our roadways.
It is unseemly that construction workers should literally have to put their lives on the line in order to make our passage smoother. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to see drivers manoeuvring around barricades or speeding through work zones, both within town and city boundaries and on the highways. Residents are reminded there are people with families doing this necessary work and we all play an important part in keeping them safe while they work.
This week the City of North Battleford is offering some sensible advice to keep city workers, and all road and highway repair crews, safe this construction season.
Pay Attention. Construction zones contain many hazards such as uneven pavement, narrow lanes, heavy equipment and loose gravel.
Slow down, even if you don't see anyone working. Physical hazards such as traffic shifts or lane reductions may be present.
Watch for signs. Remember, workers are just inches away from traffic.
Expect the unexpected. Keep an eye out for workers and their equipment.
Be patient. Remember the work is happening to improve your future ride.
The call for patience is perhaps the most important directive. As we hustle from here to there, we get caught up in the idea reaching our destination is the most important item on the day's agenda. Easing off the accelerator for a moment to consider how much more important it is to get to that destination safely, and while ensuring the safety of those working to make our journey smoother, puts that haste into a whole new perspective.
Drive safely this summer.
