A debate has sprung up as what might be the safest method of protecting pedestrians near construction projects in Calgary.
On one side are people that believe pedestrians are endangered when they are forced to walk in the street because a construction project overtakes the sidewalk that is typically to be used by those on foot. A local alderman cast a spotlight on this issue after construction near City Hall cut off the sidewalks on either side of the street, reportedly leaving people with no choice but to head into the street itself.
She would thus like to see a law put in place that would require all contractors to place covered sidewalks whenever they embark upon a project. Not only would the risk of traffic accidents be lowered, but the hope is that persons would also not be subject to being hit by falling debris from the site.
However, the Building Owners and Management Association President disagrees with this assessment and says safety will actually be compromised if a sidewalk is required for all projects. He says that it might be infeasible for some projects and dangerous if persons are brought in the vicinity of moving trucks and other hazards.
Construction safety is incredibly important in both Canada and the United States. Whatever can be done to ensure the wellbeing of pedestrians should be considered a necessary measure. Whenever your travels bring you near a construction site, be aware of your surroundings at all times and do what you can to protect yourself from injury.