Members of Steinbach's Citizens on Patrol Program conducted a speed watch Monday afternoon on Park Road between the golf course and Old Tom Road. That section of Park Road as well as Old Tom Road and part of Loewen Boulevard were paved this summer and were re-opened last week. COPP spokesperson Bernice McMullan says they chose this specific location to see how motorists are responding after the former gravel roads got a paved surface.

"We decided it's a good time to see what the traffic is like on here, especially when there's still construction on Highway #12."

Old Tom Road is a popular detour to get around that construction. McMullan says traffic was quite heavy between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. Of 350 vehicles that were checked, 48 were over the speed limit. The speed limit there is 70 kilometres per hour and the highest speed clocked was 86 kilometres per hour. 

McMullan notes they got a lot of support for their presence.

"We have had people stop by and ask us what we're doing and people put their thumbs up and tell us we're doing a good job. They enjoy us being here and people say we should be here more often."

The speed watch program is informational and is intended to make motorists aware of the speed they are travelling as compared to the speed limit.

RCMP have also stepped up speed patrols since paving was completed last week.