Both lots of Hillsborough Bridge construction work nearing the finish line

Drivers crossing the Hillsborough Bridge between Charlottetown and eastern P.E.I. can look forward to fewer headaches soon, with two lots of road construction expected to wrap up by the end of next week.

Crews with P.E.I.'s Transportation Department began the final stages of their project earlier this week, paving portions of Grafton Street and Riverside Drive at the west end of the bridge.  

"We should finish paving on Thursday, and then, weather permitting, we'll want to paint the lines and markings as soon as possible," said Stephen Yeo, the chief engineer for the province. "The forecast for the weekend doesn't look too favourable at this time, but as soon as we get a dry day, we'll get the lines painted."

In fact, some of the lines were painted as of midday Thursday, hours before the season's first real snowfall was expected on the Island.  

After months of frustration for commuters, the Hillsborough Bridge intersection is almost complete

3 days ago

Duration 2:21

The final stretches of pavement are going down as work finishes on Charlottetown's Eastern Gateway project and the province's Hillsborough bridge intersection upgrade. Both levels of government expect to be done soon — the province by the end of next week and the city within the next two or three weeks. Steve Yeo, the province's chief engineer, tells us what the changes will mean for commuters.

Yeo said crews are hoping to finish the concrete medians at the Hillsborough Bridge lane leading to the Riverside Drive intersection by the beginning of next week. That will just leave a bit of landscaping before the construction is complete.

The new intersection features an eastbound lane that will let drivers on Grafton Street glide straight through the intersection onto the Hillsborough Bridge without ever having to stop at a traffic light. Yeo said the lane will help prevent traffic from backing up like it used to, as well as shorten travel times.  

"It's just free flow," said Yeo. "They'll just go past the intersection and then once they get past the intersection they'll merge back in with traffic turning from Riverside Drive onto Grafton Street and heading across."

The only time drivers will need to stop is if a pedestrian or cyclist is trying to cross the road in the direction of Riverside Drive. There will be flashing beacons and painted crosswalks to alert drivers if that's the case. 

Yeo said the new intersection will also help reduce greenhouse gases.

"By changing the intersection and making it more efficient, there will be a lot less time sitting there idling," said Yeo.

"Travel time will be reduced and therefore less greenhouse gases."

The province said that until until the work is complete, both lanes on the bridge will stay in operation for drivers heading to Charlottetown from Stratford between the hours of 7 and 9 a.m. and both lanes heading the other way will stay open during the evening commute back to Stratford between 4 and 6 p.m.

Yeo said there will still be some delays outside of these hours as crews work to complete the project. 

At the same time, crews contracted by the City of Charlottetown have been realigning Water Street so that it meets Grafton Street just past the Tim Hortons and Wendys locations near the intersection, rather than at the foot of the busy bridge.

That project is part of the city's Eastern Gateway masterplan.

The city said in a statement this week that its construction work won't be complete for another two or three weeks.

The remaining tasks include finishing the concrete sidewalk, landscaping, and painting all the lines and markings on the pavement.