Photo radar on south St. Mary’s called ‘criminal’

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This article was published 07/02/2023 (943 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Motorists who are ensnared by photo radar in a construction zone near the garden centres on St. Mary’s Road are asking the same question: where is the construction?

Signs have been erected that say it is a construction zone and drivers must slow down to 60 km/h in the 80 km/h zone.

The only construction in the area is at the intersection of St Mary’s Road and the Perimeter Highway and on a parallel road being constructed almost a kilometre to the east.

Todd Dube, head of traffic safety advocacy organization Wise Up Winnipeg, said he has received numerous calls from motorists caught by a photo radar vehicle parked on the side of the street.

He advises drivers to fight the ticket.

Dube said Tuesday he expects the province will either be forced to cancel all of the tickets or they will be thrown out in court.

“My neighbour showed me a $700 ticket he received,” he said. “It is not a proper construction zone. To be a construction zone there has to be construction in that zone. There are no lane closures, no obstructions.

“All they are doing is shooting $700 fish in a barrel all day long.”

A new interchange system is being built at St. Mary’s and the Perimeter Highway. There will be an overpass that crosses the Perimeter Highway and motorists will enter and exit the Perimeter Highway east of where St. Mary’s is currently located.

A new road being built south of the Perimeter will link back to St. Mary’s between Viking Road and Paul Boulevard.

Most of the St. Mary’s south of the Perimeter will become an access road for local traffic.

Dube said construction, at the farthest point, is about a kilometre to the east of St. Mary’s.

“It is like saying they’re doing work on Waverley, but Pembina Highway is the designated construction zone,” he said. “It’s criminal.”

Justin Kiezik, another member of Wise Up Winnipeg, called it a “scam.”

“A dashcam video shows a good two minutes of zero evidence of construction. No side streets had signs. And the photo radar vehicle is in violation (being) 100 feet plus distance from (the) speed reduction sign.”

Area resident Chris Marek said he’s concerned about safety.

“The radar car tends to park in a shadow area without their lights on just off the side of the road. It is a bit of a hazard in the morning,” Marek said.

“Also, there is no construction going on. They’ve designated a construction zone, but there is no construction. It seems a little strange they would designate it.”

Coun. Markus Chambers, who represents the area, said he has been told the province is looking into the concerns.

“They are looking at changing some of the signage to have more notice,” Chambers said. “That is a positive outcome. If it is about safety, people should know what speed they should go.”

A spokeswoman for the province didn’t address the construction zone issue, but said construction for the new interchange began last year, is on schedule, and is set to be completed by summer 2024.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca