The Owen Sound Police Service is warning drivers that driving on a roadway that is signed as being closed for construction or other maintenance is an offence under theHighway Traffic Act and carries a fine of $110.00 and three demerit points. In addition, your insurance company may not indemnify you for any damages or collision that may occur while knowingly driving on a closed roadway. In some cases local traffic only may
be permitted when it is safe to do so.
Inspector Wurfel states, “Drivers are taking a significant safety and liability risk by driving around barriers and signs onto closed roadways, simply to avoid the modest inconvenience of a detour”. On 3rd Avenue East, north of the Bayshore Community Centre, some motorists have been
utilizing portions of the old rail trail to avoid detours and sections of the roadway closed for construction.
“This practice is obviously very dangerous and unacceptable. Pedestrians and cyclists lawfully using these trails are not expecting to encounter motorized vehicles”.
The Owen Sound Police will be enforcing infractions of drivers who choose to ignore signed road closures.
