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THE BULLETIN PROUDLY SERVING KIMBERLEY AND AREA SINCE 1932 | Vol. 84, Issue 15 | www.dailybulletin.ca
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Follow those tracks Fresh snow provides evidence of Impaired Driving CPL. CHRIS NE WEL Kimberley RCMP
On January 19, Kimberley RCMP officers served a 90 day driving prohibition for impaired driving after observing evidence in the fresh snow. Officers were on Highway 95A east of Kimberley when they observed vehicle tracks that were seen to cross the center line and fog line several times. It was snowing and the tracks were clearly seen in the fresh snow so officer knew they weren’t far behind the driver. They caught up to the vehicle near Ta Ta Creek and activated the emergency equipment. The vehicle stopped and then began to drive away, it stopped short distance away. The officer approached the driver and noted an odor of alcohol. He was detained for impaired driving and read the breath demand. The 32-year old male supplied two breath samples, both a fail. He was served a 90 day driving prohibition and his vehicle was impounded for 30 days. Police often observe first hand driving behavior which may provide them evidence to stop the vehicle, other times citizens will witness erratic driving and call police. Not sure how often evidence in the snow becomes the mechanism which results in an impaired driver being safely removed from the road.
THE REAL MCKENZIE PHOTOGRAPHY/KAR
They’re loving the skiing up on North Star Mountain this winter. 80 runs are open at Kimberley Alpine Resort and the cross-country trails are groomed and track-set. See you on the mountain.
Bennett, Bennetto on Mainroad performance BARRY COULTER
Public criticism of the state of maintenance of regional highways — especially during these past snowy months — prompted a press conference Wednesday, held by Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett and Jack Bennetto, District Manager at the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, to review the statistics and performance by Mainroad, the company with the contract to maintain regional highways. “I’ve been the MLA for 15 years, every year you get some complaints about the roads and the maintenance of roads,” Bennett said. “This year, up until Christmas, I’ve had fewer complaints about road conditions and maintenance than any other year I’ve been MLA. “The evidence we have here today indicates that we’ve actually had considerably fewer accidents than five
years ago. I’m not past few years. sure about fatalities. “I know we’ve had The evidence would some challenges with indicate that our them, and we work roads, after considwith them constantly. erable investment We monitor them. into our highways, Bennetto said that our roads are actuallast year there were ly safer today than some reductions in they were 10 years their payments beago.” cause of that process. Bennett said “We’re happy with there is no evidence the work they’re doing that it’s been a parthis year. We monitor ticularly bad year in MLA Bill Bennett them regularly — this terms of mainteyear there have been nance, or that the contractor is doing more than more than 300 on-site auan unusually bad job. “They get grad- dits or reviews. And they are meeting ed and scored on a regular basis by our expectations, especially on the the Ministry. They get fairly high primary roads.” scores, they’re not perfect, every once Bennetto said Mainroad is meetin a while they fail to do something ing the standards set by the Ministry that’s the best practice.” of Highways. Bennetto also spoke to Mainroad’s “We’re generally happy with the performance, this year and over the performance of Mainroad’s delivery.
Our monitoring reports indicate that they’re very close to 95 per cent within specification. So the five per cent is where we’ll continue to work with them.” The District Highways Manager reviewed some of the data for accidents in the region. “Over the past years, up to 2014, the incidents on the (regional network of highways) — summer and winter — have been reduced by half. There were close to 200 10 years ago. Now annual incidents on the highway are about at 100 a year.” Bennetto said these numbers include fatalities, although didn’t he have specific numbers, in terms of averages. The Highway maintenance contract is up for renewal. Bennetto said their has been interest in other companies, as well as Mainroad, in bidding on the contract. See page 3