The communication lines have been hopping the past couple days and it's all about what the spring thaw is going to do to our highways and byways.
The City of North Battleford's missive is titled "Pothole season has arrived." The City advises the potholes can be serious driving hazards and motorists are asked to keep a sharp eye out to prevent damage. The City's advice points are: slow down, drive with caution, avoid driving through areas of water accumulation as the depth of possible existing potholes may not be evident and contact the Department of Public Works at 306-445-1730 to report problem potholes.
And how about snapping a photo and send it to newsoptimist.news@sasktel.net? CAA Saskatchewan has a campaign to identify the 10 worst roads in Saskatchewan as the spring thaw progresses. We could identify the top 10 potholes in and around the Battlefords.
The Ministry of Highways also has advice for motorists, not just during the spring thaw but for the duration of construction season. You know Saskatchewan, two seasons - winter and construction. Their latest release indicates improvements are being made to the work zone to make the rules more "black and white." That information will be published elsewhere in the newspaper and at www.newsoptimist.ca.
The main message to keep in mind is be alert, be patient and consider any one of those individuals on a city, town or highway construction crew as a dear member of your own family. Think of them all as someone you would be devastated to see injured or worse. Adopting that mindset when approaching a work crew, rather than being dead certain the only reason this work is going ahead is to inconvenience you, will make the roads safer for everyone.
And one more little request from Councillor David George of Battleford. While we are exuberantly thrilled to see huge mounds of snow melt into puddles, he asks motorists not be so carried away as to drench the pedestrians who are also out enjoying the mild spring weather.
