8 drivers charged in Ottawa after ignoring Highway 417 construction closures: OPP

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) charged eight drivers with ignoring traffic detours as a multi-day construction closure of Highway 417 in Ottawa stretched into the Monday morning commute.

A portion of the Queensway in Ottawa has been closed since July 2 for work to replace the bridges over the O-Train Trillium Line tracks.

The closures were supposed to wrap up by 6 a.m. on Monday, but an update from the City of Ottawa’s traffic account on Twitter noted that while the new bridges were in place, work would continue.

Work finally wrapped up on the bridge replacements shortly after 6:30 p.m., in time for evening highway traffic to resume.

Despite the past five days’ closures, some drivers have evidently been undeterred by detours in place.

OPP spokesperson Bill Dickson confirmed to Global News on Monday that, since construction started last Thursday, eight drivers were charged under the Highway Traffic Act for driving on a closed highway.

The charge comes with a $110 fine.

“It’s a ticket and they are sent on their way, through the detour,” wrote Dickson in an email.

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