It seems that parking fine increases don鈥檛 raise the ire of Estevan residents as much as speed limit reductions or changes to garbage pick-up.
Estevan city council passed its new traffic bylaw earlier this week. The changes take effect on June 1. Perhaps the most notable change for the average motorist will be an increase in fines for parking violations.
The fine for being over-parked in Estevan has been $20 for many years. If the violator paid the fine within 14 days, then it would be reduced to $10. It wasn鈥檛 exactly a deterrent against parking for three or four hours in a spot marked for two hours.
The fine for being over-parked will now increase to $45. If someone pays within 14 days, then it will be a $30 fine.
Other parking fines are also increasing significantly. Some will jump from $40 to $80, although the fine will be reduced to $50 if paid within two weeks.
Unfortunately, the one fine that should increase will remain the same. Anyone who is selfish enough to illegally park in a handicapped spot will still be fined $250. It鈥檚 not high enough.
Some might be upset that the fines for over-parking and other infractions will increase by more than 100 per cent. We鈥檝e certainly complained about rate shock in the past. You could argue for a gradual increase, to be spread out over two or three years, but Estevan鈥檚 parking fines were so horribly antiquated that in this instance, a significant rate increase is understandable.
If you鈥檙e really upset over the increase in parking fines, then make sure you don鈥檛 park illegally. It鈥檚 as simple as that.
For whatever reason, city hall didn鈥檛 receive any complaints about the parking fine increase. Perhaps it shows that people recognize the fines were too low, and this increase is warranted.
The most contentious issue associated with this bylaw is one area that won鈥檛 change. Heavy trucks will continue to be allowed to run down Perkins Street between Kensington Avenue and Souris Avenue 麻豆视频.
It鈥檚 understandable that people want the heavy trucks off of Perkins. It is a residential area with a crosswalk used by school students. But there isn鈥檛 a viable, immediate alternative.
Some would like to see the trucks sent down Fourth Street and Souris Avenue 麻豆视频, but the corner at that intersection would be extremely difficult to navigate. Others want to see trucks use Sixth Street and Souris Avenue 麻豆视频, but Sixth Street from Kensington Avenue to Souris Avenue 麻豆视频 is already in wretched shape, and the heavy trucks won鈥檛 help.
It does serve as a reminder that a significant portion of Sixth Street is in desperate need of repair. The sooner it happens, the better.
In the meantime, trucks will have to continue to roll down Perkins, much to the chagrin of people who live on or around that arterial road.
