LETTER

Police checkpoint needs checking 

The checkpoint on the Champlain Bridge is being run in a very disorganized fashion.

My husband, an essential worker in Ottawa, comes across every afternoon and hits this checkpoint on his way home, about 4 pm. At first, things moved smoothly. There were 4-6 active checkpoints (each with one police officer) in the northbound lane at rush hour.  There weren’t many delays. 

All week, this week, there was only one checkpoint active. One officer -- talking to each car crossing the bridge.  Other cops were on site, sitting in their cars at each end of the bridge, but leaving one cop speaking to each and every car.

Some officers have not been courteous. My husband drives a company car with Ontario plates, and he is questioned daily about this (which is understandable), but often in a very sarcastic manner. 

On top of these delays, there are many cars passing in the middle lane -- with only one driver -- and then cutting in front of the line, resulting in longer wait times for everyone else. 

This has added about 45 minutes each day to my husbands’ commute. His afternoon commute is now longer and more stressful than prior to the lockdown, despite a massive reduction in the number of cars on the road. We support the need for the checkpoints.  But they are very disorganized.  My husband does have the luxury of working from home like many others. I am home with a baby, working from home; I need every minute he is home to do my work. 

As an “essential worker”, our local government and police should be doing everything they can to support my husband.  Instead, they are creating more problems for us.

E.N.

Lucerne / Aylmer