Chatham-Kent residents could now be slapped with a fine for ignoring the Fifth St. Bridge closure.
Manager of Infrastructure Services Chris Thibert has already warned the community to stay off the bridge during construction, which began earlier this month, but many don't want to listen. Thibert has been notified by several witnesses that people are still going on the bridge.
"We have brought this to the attention of the local police department and they are going to be continually monitoring this area going forward during the day, as well as at night. This is trespassing in a construction zone and we have brought this to attention through the media, signs, and fencing. There is the potential of fines, resulting in non-compliance, because essentially this is breaking the law," explains Thibert.
Thibert says the municipality's number one concern is always public safety.
"It is identified as a high risk of danger as construction, in the form of disassembling [and] dismantling, is currently taking place. [This] could result in loose or unsecured portions of the structure, which may not be visible when you're just looking at the bridge from street level," Thibert.
The bridge is expected to re-open to traffic sometime in December, but until then, Thibert says drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists need to stay off the bridge.