Tempers reached their boiling point this week over the construction on Bath Road near Collins Bay Road. Witnesses say it has been a growing issue, but on Thursday, things got a little wild.
“It was horrible, just horrible. People were cutting each other off,” says one neighbour.
Lines of traffic could be seen along the throughway that heads out of town, along with cars flooding the side roads. Flag persons are expected to control the flow of traffic, but this week, one neighbour says, drivers were getting angry at the people on the road.
“They were yelling at the flag persons, even swearing at them. Let them do their job.”
The project has been ongoing since early May, causing major delays along the busy route. It’s all part of a construction initiative to revitalize the highway from Collins Bay Road into Millhaven.
At one point on Thursday, Kingston police had to help direct a bus that was stuck in traffic. Const. Joshua Brimble says that although they understand it can be difficult to deal with the traffic, drivers have to be patient.
Construction workers said that drivers have sworn at them repeatedly and that cars have come awfully close to hitting them while driving by.
“Stop for the flag persons, it’s for their safety,” Brimble says.
Police say this is unacceptable behaviour and that if someone is caught running the stop sign, it is a $110 fine and three demerit points taken off your license.
The project is being managed by the Ministry of Transportation and will have roving road work along the Bath Road-Highway 33 corridor. Brandy Duhaime with the ministry says the work near Collins Creek Bridge should be completed in the next few weeks. However, the construction on Highway 33 won’t be complete until 2019.
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