Maintaining safety and civility on Grey County roads

Maintaining 887 kilometres of roads year-round is a big responsibility. When the calendar flips to April and the grass begins to turn green, Grey County’s roads staff transition from plows to pickups for the summer maintenance season. This year, Grey County has $3.75 million budgeted for general maintenance. This is separate from major road construction.

The number one priority for Grey County is safety. Keeping roads up to and above provincial maintenance standards is a must. To do this, workers are out on the roads and roadsides throughout the season completing important and sometimes underappreciated tasks, such as patching potholes, mowing weeds and grasses, and repainting lines. You may also see workers inspecting and improving bridges, clearing ditches and replacing culverts. Nearly all this work is performed without closing the roads, though lane reductions may occur on certain jobs. 

Let’s keep road workers safe while they work to keep us safe.

When you see warning signs, a person flagging with a sign, or flashing yellow lights from a maintenance vehicle, slow down and pay attention. Always obey signage and the directions of workers doing traffic control. Give workers as much space as possible and never pass a maintenance vehicle or enter the oncoming lane if it’s unsafe. Most importantly, remain patient. Road maintenance may delay your day by a few seconds or a few minutes, but it’s not worth taking a risk, being rude or putting others in danger.

Grey County staff and contractors have experienced an alarming increase in dangerous driving and hostility in recent years. This behaviour has no place in Grey County. Be considerate and patient and remember that road workers are not just County employees or contractors, they are members of the community. They could be your neighbour, a coach, or a volunteer. No delay is worth someone’s life.

 Let’s all do our part to make this a safe and successful construction season.