Making Strathmore roads safer

Shannon LeClair
Times Reporter

 

The six-month enhanced traffic program was such a success that town council has decided they would like to see it return for 2015.
“By having extra RCMP on they were able to patrol, watch the speeding, the traffic in all of town, they also watched the school areas for us and it ended up that we made a little bit more than to cover their costs,” said Chief Administrative Officer Dwight Stanford.
When the program was first initiated the main thing administration wanted to do, besides see increased safety on town roads, was make sure the costs, approximately $2,800 in man hours, would be covered, which they were.
“This has very, very definitely made our community safer and has done it as a value-added service and I’m very grateful for the work of our local RCMP, and for Councillor Sobol for bringing this idea forward to us last year,” said Councillor Denise Peterson, who made a motion to see the initiative return for a period of one year, with quarterly reports presented to council.
The agreement focuses on high-risk traffic infractions, so those with a tail light out were unlikely to be pulled over.
“This is supervised, in fact some of the funds that we’re paying go for direct supervision of this program, and the supervisor is not content to see the RCMP members go out and write tickets… that would not enhance the safety of our community,” said Councillor Bob Sobol.
“That’s where they’re focused on, so they’re dealing with speeding, they’re dealing with distracted driving, they’re dealing with impaired driving, they’re dealing with stop sign offenses, they’re dealing with seatbelt offenses, all offenses focused on enhancing the safety of our community.”
The motion was approved and the enhanced traffic program will return at the beginning of January.