Today, a warning, tomorrow its a $172 fine.
The Confederation Way interchange is in effect.
That means that only buses are allowed to use the interchange in the eastbound direction from 5:45 to 7:45 in the morning.
All other traffic must use the lights at the bottom of the hill to go north or south.
During all other times, any vehicle is allowed to use the interchange.
Alberta Transportation’s Jeanna Friedly says that by breaking the rules, the RCMP or the municipality can issue fines.
“So fines for using a dedicated bus lane during specified times are $172, so of course we’re asking people to comply with that, and all of the normal enforcement for bus lane infractions in the RMWB will apply.”
She says hopefully the congestion will get better when the temporary merge lanes are removed from Thickwood and Confederation Way interchanges.
“Both of those interchanges will be fully complete and operational at at their capacity by the end of 2013, so all of these problems will hopefully be gone, and these interchanges with be functioning at their permanent capacities.”
Friedly says typically you don’t reopen old lanes and put up temporary traffic signals when you already have closed them and opened the new interchange.
“As evidenced by the traffic pattern after we opened it, it was effective, it wasn’t working for people, and so one thing I’m really happy with is we were able to respond to that, we’re listening to peoples concerns and we’re trying to implement innovative solutions.”
January 10th, 2013
