The Winnipeg police budget report says there has been no photo enforcement done in Winnipeg construction zones this year.
At any construction site, it’s common to see workers and oncoming traffic separated by a few meters, sometimes even less. Which leaves the door open for tragedy to strike at any given moment.
"We went through all of that with the death of our daughter Brittany," said Neil Murray, father of Brittany Murray, a flagger killed on the job east of Winnipeg in 2010.
A provincial inquiry into her death led to doubled fines for speeding in construction zones, mandatory reflective suits and improved warning signs.
"What's important is that people are protected and job sites are protected, and the construction companies, the government, the drivers and police all have a role to play in that," Murray added.
According to the report by Winnipeg Police Service, photo radar has been absent on many job sites this season because most aren't considered construction zones, and may be unsafe for photo radar.
"Cops in the neighbourhood doing photo radar would help us for sure," argued Danny Kozminski, a construction worker.
"I’ve come up the ladder near traffic and just about been taken out by mirror going by my head."
Even if photo radar is not an option, other workers like Victor Oliveria said just having officers around would slow down speeding traffic.
"I’d like the cops to be here more and show themselves other than hiding with a radar," said Oliveria.
Meanwhile Neil Murray wants the rules that came after his daughter’s tragic death enforced, so that no family will have to go throw what his had to.
"If it is already beginning to slide, only a few years since the laws went into place, that's really disheartening to us because we paid the ultimate price for it like others have as well."
