PEI

Summerside may have to expropriate land for new roundabout 

The City of Summerside has set the wheels in motion to expropriate four parcels of land in the north end of the city to construct a new roundabout.

‘Nobody is going to have to relocate'

The City of Summerside plans to construct a new roundabout at the corner of Pope Road and Central Street. (Wayne Thibodeau/CBC)

The City of Summerside, P.E.I. has set the wheels in motion to expropriate four parcels of land in the north end of the city to construct a new roundabout.

The roundabout will go at the corner of Central Street and Pope Road, part of a major realignment for that section of road which will also include new sidewalks and upgrades to exits to businesses in the area.

Coun. Justin Doiron, chair of the technical services committee, said the city needs about a half dozen parcels of land for the roundabout. It was able to negotiate deals with some landowners, but it was not able to strike a deal with the owners of four properties, so the city is moving to expropriate them.

"What those resolutions were tonight was serving notice of our intention to expropriate," Doiron said following a meeting of Summerside city council Monday night. 

Independent, third-party appraiser hired

The vote on expropriation will be in February, Doiron said.

Summerside city councillor Justin Doiron says they were able to negotiate deals with some landowners for the new roundabout. (Wayne Thibodeau/CBC)

In the meantime, the city will continue to negotiate with the landowners, which include one commercial and three residential lots, in an effort to come to a negotiated agreement. If no agreement is reached by next month's council meeting, the city will proceed with expropriation, he said. The city hired an independent, third-party appraiser to come up with a price for the land.

Doiron said these are small parcels of land.

"Nobody is going to have to relocate. It is minimal impact on homeowners, landowners and business owners," he said.

'We just want safety'

Coun. Barb Ramsay said the intersection is dangerous. She is glad to see it's finally going to be fixed.

Former Summerside city councillor Barb Ramsay.
Summerside city councillor Barb Ramsay says the Pope Road-Central Street intersection is dangerous. She’s glad to see it’s finally going to be fixed. (Wayne Thibodeau/CBC)

"It's not lined up, there are no sidewalks, they've tried to adjust it a number of years ago. That didn't work," said Ramsay.

"We just want safety for our residents."

Construction is expected to begin on the new roundabout in the spring. The cost of the project is still not known. 

Doiron said the city has been trying to get this section of road upgraded for nearly three decades.

"There has already been improvements to that intersection," said Doiron, adding that lanes at the intersection have been widened.

"It's not like they haven't addressed the problem before; it's just population grows, traffic increases. It's time to really solve it for good."

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Wayne Thibodeau is a reporter with CBC Prince Edward Island. He has worked in digital, radio, TV and newspapers for more than two decades. In addition to his role as a multi-platform journalist for CBC News, Wayne can be heard reading the news on The World This Hour, co-hosting Island Morning and reporting for CBC News: Compass. You can reach Wayne at Wayne.Thibodeau@cbc.ca