Roundabout coming to gnarly Charlottetown intersection

Charlottetown's next roundabout will be located at one of the busiest — and most confusing — crossroads in the city, the intersection commonly known as the Vogue Optical corner in Parkdale.

Located at the junction of St. Peters Road, Falconwood Drive, Belevedere Avenue and Brackley Point Road, the intersection handles up to 2,200 vehicles per hour at peak times.

Charlottetown council has given the project the green light and estimates the cost of the project will be about $4 million.

If that proves accurate, it would be the most expensive roundabout Charlottetown has built to date.

Part of the cost is due to its size, 22 metres in diameter, making it among the largest in the city.

The project also entails work underground and overhead.

"That's some of the underground storm, sanitary and potable water that needs to be done and maybe relocation of some of the utilities, that's Bell Aliant, Maritime Electric, Eastlink Communications," said Paul Johnston, the city's manager of public works.

City officials say they have already purchased some of the land they need from local businesses around the intersection.

They say if funding from Ottawa and the province comes through, work could begin this fall.

Drivers are ready for a change.

"That would really speed things up, but it's long overdue, so the sooner the better," said Wayne Proude.

Lannia Pan MacAleer said, "Even though I have been here four years, I still feel sometimes confused to drive around here. So if it was a roundabout, it would be a lot easier, at least for me."