REGINA -- After a summer filled with road construction projects, the Regina’s city council will review a report from administration on what strategies it uses to reduce traffic congestion during the construction season, and if other strategies are being considered.

A Notice of Enquiry was filed at June 24’s meeting, where council sought to find out if options like extension of construction work schedules, 24 hour work seven days a week, and overnight work on major roads could be feasible options.

In the report, to be presented back to council at Monday’s meeting, administration highlights some methods used in the 2019 construction season like lane reversals, zipper merging, and discouraging closures of lanes alongside construction, something administration claims slows both projects and traffic.

Some projects mentioned include the Ring Road Bridges over Wascana Creek and paving work on Victoria Ave.

The report recognizes the advantages of overnight construction like reduced congestion, reduced impact on local businesses, and a reduced impact on drivers, but it also outlines the negatives of the practice, citing a 2012 guidebook on nighttime construction from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

The two main points against are employee safety, as workers would deal with reduced lighting quality and attention levels due to shift work and public safety due to lower visibility and higher rates of impaired or drowsy drivers.

“The Guidebook also indicates accident rates are, on average, 75 per cent higher in work zones with lane closures when construction continues at night including increased risk of fatality of workers and members of the public,” the report reads.

Other factors reported include higher costs, more overnight noise, and difficulty in finding contractors.

“Night work may impede [a contractor’s] ability to perform construction during the day as it would be difficult to double their workforce,” administration says. “Also, costs for night work would be considerably higher due to increased lighting, increased labour, and increased access to support staff.”

The full report can be viewed on page 447 of Monday’s council agenda packet.