Sask. driver's vehicle covered in tar from unmarked highway construction
A Saskatchewan woman is frustrated because of damage to her vehicle that happened on Highway 51 south of Saskatoon, and she’s having trouble finding out who’s responsible.
Melinda Lee is from Moose Jaw and is frustrated, because of the damage to her vehicle which happened in late August. She was driving west of Biggar when she approached a construction vehicle with no signs indicating roadwork was being done.
“I couldn’t see overtop of the hill because there was a construction vehicle parked there and I kind of stopped behind it and the person in the vehicle stuck his hand out and waved me to go past,” Melinda Lee told CTV News.
Lee proceeded on in the direction they gestured. She says both sides of that single lane highway were being repaved, so she drove on the fresh blacktop.
“It’s not my fault that they put tar on both sides of the road, and I had nowhere to drive,” Lee says.
She continued on her journey perplexed by what had happened.
“When I got to Saskatoon and got out of my car, I realized there was tar all over it. It was splashed all over it on all four sides pretty much,” she said.
According to Lee there was no signage indicating work was being done.
In an email to CTV News on Monday, the Ministry of Highways placed blame on a private contractor it claimed was doing work without signs or a flag person in the area of the incident.
However, on Tuesday the ministry sent a follow-up message where it retracted its initial claim, saying the contractor it named, Venture Construction, had nothing to do with the incident.
"The ministry will review the circumstances related to the incident and follow up with the motorist when our review is completed."
Lee was handed a damage estimate of $12,000 for the work, which includes replacing the rear window, which is covered in tar. The deductible is $700, which is an amount Lee does not want to pay.
SGI spokesperson Tyler McMurchy says he can’t speak to specific cases due to privacy issues, but he did say that one option in cases like this is legal action.
“A customer could either pay out of pocket and have damages covered by a third party responsible going through the small claims court process,” McMurchy told CTV News.
It’s been over three months that Lee has had to drive around with the tar on her vehicle with no path to get the mess cleaned up in a way that she sees as fair.
“I shouldn’t have to use my insurance to pay for it, because it wasn’t my fault.”
Correction
Based on information provided by Saskatchewan's Ministry of Highways, this story incorrectly stated Venture Construction was responsible for the worksite where Lee's car was damaged. In a follow-up message sent a day after this story was published, the ministry alerted CTV News about its mistake. This story has been updated to correct the error.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976457.1721858257!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Male, female killed, 2 others injured in 'gun battle' outside Toronto plaza: police
Two people are dead and two others suffered serious injuries following a shooting that police have described as a 'gun battle' outside a plaza in Scarborough, Ont. early Wednesday morning.
An unwelcome attendee has joined the Paris Olympic Games: COVID-19
After a handful of Australian water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 this week, questions have emerged around how the spread of the disease will be mitigated at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Wildfire north of Calgary prompts evacuation alert, highway closures
A wildfire is prompting evacuations and highway closures north of Calgary.
Canada's envoy to NYC called to testify about $9M condo purchase on 'Billionaires' Row'
Canada's Consul General in New York will have to explain the government's decision to buy a $9 million condo in Manhattan's famous 'Billionaires' Row,' to a parliamentary committee.
2 Canadians being 'sent home immediately,' removed from Olympic team after drone incident
An analyst and an assistant coach with Canada Soccer are being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and 'sent home immediately,' according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.
Montreal electronic traffic signs hacked to display pro-Palestinian political slogans
Montreal police are investigating after electronic message boards at two road construction sites in Montreal displayed pro-Palestinian political slogans Wednesday morning instead of usual traffic alerts.
'Inside Out 2' becomes highest-grossing animated movie of all time
If there’s one emotion that Disney and Pixar are probably feeling right now, it’s joy. That’s after movie sequel 'Inside Out 2' became the highest-grossing animated film of all time, raking in US$1.46 billion at the global box office and dethroning former record holder 'Frozen 2' from 2019, according to Disney on Wednesday.
Price of new housing dipped slightly in June: Statistics Canada
The cost of a new house was slightly cheaper in June compared to May, according to Statistics Canada. Prices dropped 0.2 per cent month-over-month, which is the first time in 2024 that new houses have sold for cheaper than the month prior.