Cynthia King

Mayor Kevin Jenkins, Minister Ronnie MacKinley, MLA Cynthia Dunsford (photo by Brian Simpson)

Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal

A major rehabilitation project on the Stratford Road will improve the safety of the road and improve its condition during the spring thaw, says Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Ron MacKinley.

“Stratford is Prince Edward Island’s fastest growing municipality and it’s very important that the roads in the community are able to handle the ever increasing traffic,” says Minister MacKinley. “The work the province is doing here, through Build PEI, will improve the condition of the road overall, and it will greatly reduce the impact of the spring thaw, which causes severe frost heaves and pot holes on a yearly basis.”

The $1.8 million project will see the road completely rebuilt from Barkley Avenue to Keppoch Road. Twenty-four new catch basins are being installed, along with a completely redesigned storm sewer system. That work will help mitigate many of the drainage issues on Stratford Road that often result in severe damage during the spring. The project will also see a curve flattened to improve safety, the sidewalk will be completely rebuilt and the shoulders will provide extra safety for cyclists.

“I am very excited to see the province moving ahead with this project,” says Stratford-Kinlock MLA Cynthia Dunsford. “Residents know how much damage can be caused to this road during the spring thaw. The work the province is doing here will help reduce the amount of damage to the road, it will help improve the safety of the road for pedestrians and cyclists, and it will help address the ever growing traffic volume in the community.”

Crews expect the work to be complete near the end of October.

Media Contact: Andrew Sprague

Share the Road, Stratford Rd.

Cyclists across PEI have been trying to educate and activate governments, both municipally and provincially for decades. It is great to see the City of Charlottetown listening, learning and implementing plans for safer cycling.
Over here in Stratford, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal has included ‘share the road’ signage and wider shoulders for cyclists.
Progress is happening and those who have been working on this should be congratulated for the work done to date:
Cycling PEI, all of those cyclists who have called and emailed TIR and their towns and cities departments, the governments and planners themselves and of course, motorists for learning how to share the road better with cyclists.

As mentioned, TIR has been working in my district of Stratford-Kinlock to make things safer with signage and wide shoulders:

- 12 Share the Road signs in high traffic areas in Stratford.
- 1.5 metre shoulders on both sides of the Stratford Rd. between Barclay and the blue church.

The City of Charlottetown now has these two areas with official bike lanes which includes painted lines and bike stenciled logos:

- Belvedere Avenue, from Brackley Point Road to Mount Edward Road;
- Maple Avenue, from Belvedere Avenue to Ash Drive.

Immediate plans to create dedicated bike lanes are in the works for the following areas:

- Belvedere Avenue, from Mount Edward Road through the new roundabout to Queen Street.
- Queen Street. The road doesn’t have the necessary width for a dedicated bike lane so the city will be putting up ‘Share the Road’ signage.
- Oak Drive, from Brackley Point Road to Maple Avenue.
- Pine Drive, from Brackley Point Road to Maple Avenue.
- Mount Edward Road, from Belvedere Avenue to the roundabout. That section will also be completely resurfaced.
- Allen Street, from the roundabout to the Confederation Trail.
- Allen Street, from the trail to Queen Street will be designated with ‘Share the Road’ signs.
- Mount Edward Road, from Belvedere Avenue to Woodlawn Drive. Work is now taking place on the shoulder of the road.
- University Avenue, from Belvedere Avenue to Capital Drive.

Let’s keep those wheels turning and make PEI safer for cyclists! in fact, let’s get out there and ride our bikes and get some exercise, save money on gas and help reduce our carbon footprint!

Stratford Road Construction 2010

Originally uploaded by cynthia dunsford

Please be extra careful for the next couple of months while construction takes place on the Stratford Road between the blue church and Barclay St. TIR is doing their best to keep the site safe but the public needs to take extra caution. Drive slowly and be prepared to stop suddenly. Try and stay off your cell phones even if you are using your bluetooth. Any distraction can cause a fender bender.

Full reconstruction of the road includes:

- cold planing the existing asphalt full depth;
- excavating the subbase;
- placing select borrow (sandstone);
- placing 300 mm of Class ‘A’ gravel;
- placing 110 mm of asphalt base (in two lifts);
- placing 45 mm of asphalt seal;
- replacing 900 metres of storm sewer;
- replacing approximately 25 catch basins (storm manholes);
- replacing the arch culvert between Quiet Water and Redding Heights with a concrete box culvert;
- placing new concrete curb along both sides of this section;
- replacing the sidewalk along the north side of the road;
- mill and pave 50 mm of asphalt through the Stratford Road/Keppoch Road intersection;
- improvements to the alignment of the Bayside Drive intersection;

There will also be a safe cycling shoulder on BOTH sides of the road of at least 1.5 metres. Work on the remainder of the Stratford Rd. to Glen Stewart Dr. is expected to begin after the completion of this project.

I have created a Google Map to help locate potholes in Stratford. Please help by signing in to Google Maps and placing markers where the potholes are. By helping you will help keep Stratford roads safe.

I will send the map to the Department of Transportation and Public Works every couple of days to ensure they are up to date and can act quickly to repair our roads.

Thank you,

Cynthia

New "Share the Road" signs, a new crosswalk, sidewalks, road repair and resurfacing.

It is the time of year when road construction across PEI is coming to an end. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Minister Ron MacKinley and the Department of Transportation and Public Works for all the great work completed in the district of Stratford-Kinock this past season. I have received many phone calls, emails etc. from pleased residents about all of the improvements made to our community’s roads, sidewalks and bike lanes.

The “Share the Road” signs are a first for PEI and I want to thank TPW Deputy Mnister, Steve MacLean for his dedication to safety for cyclists in Stratford and on PEI.

As well, a big thank you for the long-awaited crosswalk between the CGI building and the the Stratford Pharmacy and Robins Donuts. This new crosswalk has already helped solved the safety issue on this very busy section of the Stratford Rd.

Wider shoulders were also constructed to help make it safer for cyclists and pedestrians. The section of the Keppoch Road by Pondside Park now has a better lane for cyclists, on both sides, thanks to the foresight of Alan Aitken of TPW in adjusting the lines enough to help create a small shoulder, where before there was no shoulder at all.

Queens County Supervisor, Malclom MacKenzie and the crews at TPW… THANK YOU! Stratford is a much safer place to drive, ride, walk and play.

This summer, Islanders will notice a new type of road sign on Island highways intended to encourage drivers to be mindful of cyclists, and encourage cyclists to ride safely.
This week, the Department of Transportation and Public Works installed its brand new “Share the Road” signs. The signs have been erected in the town of Stratford, and along Route 6 between Stanhope and Brackley Beach.
“Every year, more Islanders are using bicycles as a primary mode of Transportation and as part of a healthy lifestyle,” says Minister of Transportation and Public Works Ron MacKinley. “As tourists begin to arrive on the Island for the summer, our roads will begin to see more and more cyclists. So it’s very important that we take steps to remind drivers to share the road and give cyclists lots of room.”
The “Share the Road” signs are part of a larger campaign launched by the Department in late May meant to encourage safe cycling on Prince Edward Island. Radio and television ads have been running for the last few weeks which ask drivers to  share the road, and ask cyclists to ride safely and wear a helmet.
The department has also partnered with Cycling P.E.I. to promote bicycle rodeos at various locations across the Island. The rodeos will give cyclists safe riding information, and a bicycle inspection to ensure bicycles are in good working order.
“Cycling P.E.I. is very pleased with the attention that’s been paid to this very important issue,” says Mark Bowlan, president of Cycling P.E.I.. “We expect this campaign will go a long way to promote safe cycling on Prince Edward Island and we look forward to continued efforts in the future.”
“Residents in my community have been asking for something to help promote cycling safety for a number of years,” says Stratford-Kinlock MLA and avid cyclist Cynthia Dunsford. “It’s great to see this government putting in the effort to make Island roads safer for cyclists, and at the same time encourage safe riding.”