Rumble strips on this section of Highway 97 in Oyama have been filled with asphalt. Rumble strips were installed during the construction of the new highway in Lake Country but now the Ministry of Transportation is removing some segments due to noise issues.
(HOWARD ALEXANDER / iNFOnews.ca)
Republished October 10, 2014 - 9:30 AM
Original Publication Date October 09, 2014 - 3:23 PM
OYAMA - The Ministry of Transportation is removing a safety feature on the new highway in Lake Country to spare nearby residents an associated rumbling sound.
Rumble strips, the grooved edges found on most highways, were installed on the new $78-million section of Highway 97 through Oyama but it seems the feature had an unpleasant effect among residents who complained about the noise.
The Ministry of Transportation says it noticed shortly after the highway opened in August 2013 that some rumble strips were installed closer to residential areas than was desirable.
“The ministry tries to avoid placing rumble strips on highway sections close to homes due to the potential for increased road noise,” the ministry stated in an email.
According to media relations, staff were not available for an interview on the matter.
The ministry says segments of rumble strip are now being removed in areas “where they will not affect highway safety.”
Many sections have already been paved over. Some of the paved over sections are a long way from homes or residential areas.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infotelnews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2014