Respect Work Zones
Every worker is someone's someone.
Road workers, utility crews and maintenance teams aren’t just employees – they’re parents, children, spouses and friends. Every work zone is a workplace, whether it’s on a road, sidewalk or back lane. Respecting work zones helps ensure workers return home safely to the people who count on them to be there.
Be cautious when travelling near work zones. Obey signs and watch for workers on the other side of the pylons. Every worker is someone’s someone, and we all deserve to get home safe.
Slow down - it's the law!
Work zones are clearly marked with orange signs and pylons. Drivers are required to slow to 60 km/h or whatever speed is posted when entering the work area and follow the directions of all signs in the zone. In residential areas, where the speed limit is 50 km/h, drivers are expected to slow to 30 km/h when passing workers.
Studies show that slowing down from 50 to 30 km/h can increase the survival rate of a road worker in a collision with a vehicle by 90%. For one-day or less repair or maintenance work on residential streets, temporary regulatory signs are used to reduce the speed in the work zone to 30km/h.
Watch out for signs indicating reduced speed, as well as signs indicating the end of the work zone where normal posted speed resumes. These signs are removed or covered when workers leave the site. Regardless of whether a temporary speed sign is posted, drivers should slow down in a work zone.
Fines
Workers are encouraged to report license plate numbers of offending drivers to the Saskatoon Police Service who will follow up with the vehicle owner. Driving 20 km/h over the speed limit in a work zone will cost $440 and 40 km/h over will cost $1008. Look up other fine amounts.
Residential work zone signs are enforceable under the Traffic Bylaw and the Saskatoon Police Service patrols these zones. The fine for going 50 km/h in a posted 30 km/h zone is $190 ($150 + $2/km over speed posted).
Respect workers
Aside from people speeding past or driving through work zone barriers, staff in work zones report hearing threats and profanities from drivers. Verbal and physical abuse of City and contractor workers is not acceptable and the City will actively pursue court action to the extent of the law to stop this behaviour.