PEI

Province plans roundabout for Grand River

The P.E.I. Department of Transportation has put together plans for a new roundabout in Prince County.

The roundabout will be specially built for agricultural vehicles

The roundabout will be built off the current roadways and connected when it is finished. (Google Maps)

The P.E.I. Department of Transportation has put together plans for a new roundabout in Prince County, north of Wellington.

The Grand River roundabout will replace the intersection of Route 12, Route 131 and the old Grand River Road.

Stephen Yeo, director of capital projects for the province, said currently the intersection isn't as safe as it could be because drivers don't always follow the traffic signs there.

The new roundabout will also be built with large, agricultural vehicles in mind, he said.

Minimal traffic impact

"The rural roundabouts we have designed are to accommodate larger farm machineries. They're a lot cheaper to build," said Yeo.

"There's a curbed island in the centre, but on the outside there's no raised, curbed concrete shoulder edge. That's a mountable curb with open ditches and no storm sewer in it, so it's cheaper to build and it's a lot more accommodating to agricultural equipment."

There is no start date for construction. The company contracted for the work will set the timeline, but Yeo said he expects work to be finished by the end of this summer.

Traffic shouldn't be disrupted because the roundabout will be built off the road and connected when it is done, he said.

The project is expected to cost $500,000 to $600,000.

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With files from Malcolm Campbell