Revelstoke RCMP are asking the public to stop calling 911 with complaints about the roundabout construction detour.
Implemented today, April 30, the detour reroutes drivers, several blocks out of their way through residential areas, as construction of a traffic circle has begun at a major intersection that connects one side of town with the other.
“Taking up the 911 time is taking a lot of time from our officers,” said Staff Sgt. Kurt Grabinsky at a council meeting on April 30.
At the same meeting, Mayor Gary Sulz acknowledged public complaints on the detours, saying he has heard people’s concerns that the detours were not advertised well enough in advance to make them simple to navigate.
“We will make every effort to keep everyone, residents, commuters, cyclists and pedestrians safe for the duration of this project,” Sulz said.
He also asked drivers to pay attention and watch for pedestrians as 8th St., since it doesn’t usually get so much traffic.
READ MORE: Contract awarded for $5 million traffic circle, construction to begin soon
The roundabout was first proposed in 2017. The city received a $5 million grant from the federal government to fund the project in 2018. Earlier this month council awarded the contract to Kamloops-based Eagle Rock Construction.
The project is expected to be completed in September.
The public is reminded that 911 is for emergencies only, police departments have local contact numbers for non-emergencies.
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