The chair of Charlottetown's public works department is surprised Coun. Mitchell Tweel is looking for a backup plan for the proposed Mount Edward Road-Allen Street roundabout.
Coun. Terry Bernard was reacting to a story in Monday's Guardian in which Tweel said the city needs a plan B in case the roundabout proves unpopular with motorists or isn't successful in alleviating traffic congestion.
Just before Christmas, the city completed work on the storm water system underneath the intersection. That will correct problem in the past with flooding at the location. Once the construction season starts this spring, work will begin on converting the current signalized intersection into the capital's first roundabout.
That roundabout is expected to be completed and operational by July 1.
CBCL Ltd., an engineering firm specializing in this type of work, recommended the city convert the intersection to a roundabout. It will cost the city about $3 million, half of that money already spent on storm water upgrades. It would have cost the city exactly the same amount to pursue an upgraded signalized intersection option.
Bernard said six months ago Tweel voted in favour of the modern roundabout design.
"The roundabout option for that intersection had been common knowledge since January 2009," Bernard said Monday, noting that Tweel, like all other councillors, received an information package on the recommended option, which was a roundabout.
"Along with that information package, councillors were asked if they had any concerns, questions or anything that they felt needed to be addressed before recommendation came before council. They were provided contact names."
Bernard said Tweel didn't have any questions or concerns at the time and, at a June 15, 2009, public council meeting, Tweel voted in favour of constructing the roundabout at the intersection.
The resolution which council voted on reads as follows: "That, per engineering consultant review and conclusion as a viable option, the city undertake redesign of the Allen/Mt. Edward intersection per a modern roundabout alignment and immediately begin final tender preparation to attempt completion of this project in the approved funding period of this constructive season."
The vote on that resolution was unanimous, 9-0, with Coun. Danny Redmond absent.
The month after the decision was made, Bernard said Tweel requested to go to a public meeting on the roundabout option but was defeated 8-2 with Tweel and Redmond in favour of going to a public meeting.
"At this point, the decision was already made by council to move on design and tender for a roundabout," Bernard said.
Public works chair surprised by Tweel's about-face on roundabout
Public works chair surprised by Tweel's about-face on roundabout
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Comments
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- steve
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:40:13
I grew up in New Zealand and all we have over there are roundabouts, most of the trafic lights were removed in favour of roundabouts.
They allow for an easy flow of traffic just give way to the left if there's nothing there just go, i have seen how they are used in Halifax Chrickey scary you are not supposed to stop in the middle of a roundabout and you must stay in the same lane as you go through it.
Lights hold up alot of trafic if you want better flow of trafic round bout's rule, i will come out and teach everyone how to use one if you like.
Cheers
Steve M -
- Andy
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:39:02
Give me a break! Plan B?
Bring on the roundabout and dam the torpedos/whiners. We need more of these at the following:
* Belvedere/Brackley Point/St Peters/Falconwood
* Belvedere/Mount Edward
* Belvedere/University
* University/Allen
* St Peters/Mount Edward
* Euston/University
* North River/Capital
* University/Capital
* Arterial/Malpeque
* Arterial/Mount Edward
* Arterial/Brackley Point
* Arterial/St Peters
* Grafton/Riverside
* Grafton/University -
- bill
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:37:54
stupidity
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- Is Tweel the same clown
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:33:32
Where else could we see such 'spineless' leadership.
Here's a tip for Tweel:
1) Examine a problem
2) Review options
3) select an option
4) defend chosen option based on selection criteria
Otherwise, he would appear to be a clown masquerading as a councillor, yet again. -
- roundabout
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:31:16
Pedestrian right of way .. pedestrians have the right of way on all marked pedestrian crossings, no matter how much traffic is backed up and waiting for them to cross. No one should be in such a rush that they can't take the 2 or 3 seconds it takes to look out for pedestrians .. what's the guy behind you going to do to you? blow his horn? whoopie. If you're scared of the drivers on our Island roads then that really says something about our drivers not our planners.
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- David
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:29:34
@ Andy Another good spot for a roundabout is Euston St., Longworth Ave. and Weymouth St..
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- I'm not going first
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:25:26
I don't know about anybody else, but I don't want to be among the first pedestrians crossing those streets.
With the roundabout being so small, cars turning to the right will be looking left for cars, then going.
Since they'll be turning right again right after, that doesn't leave much time to check for pedestrians and we all know PEI drivers won't be smart enough to look for stuff like that in advance.
I'll let others be the guinea pigs and just hope that none get seriously hurt. -
- Stupidity
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:23:20
We don't need this roundabout period! And I predict all Islanders will feel the same as soon as it's completed! Money spent for nothing! 3 Mil to be exact that could be used many other ways that would be more productive for traffic Flow.
TO ANDY:
Where the H*** do you think we're living in NEW YORK??? Hope you have millions sitting in your bank acct. for taxes to pay for all your suggestions!!!! DUH -
- what next
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:19:35
It would appear Mr. Tweel wants everything both ways. He was the big mover and shaker that resulted in this round about being place in a very stupid place. Now that the stupidity of this move has taken place Tweel wants a plan B - I have a plan B - elect anybody but this fellow. How long has he been in City Hall anyway. Seems to me it's time his electorate think about a new person to represent their Ward. He has not done a thing, in the 20 -30 years he has held a seat on Council. !!!
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- To Curious
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:18:08
OH I Really Hope So ! As it will be a First! And Firsts are so exciting!
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- J
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:17:53
Maybe all our PNP contributors will access the round about and that should keep them going around in circles and keep them off all our other streets. Never seen so many big SUV`s lost and confused.
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- Go TWEEL !
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:04:30
Let's see what other road projects have been completed that didn't have any problems, snarls or criticism on PEI? NONE.
To those who feel because round abouts are used away they will be hunky dory here - Think Again! AWAY are those places with Larger Centres, Cities, Population and space to widen out the roads! Our City Doesn't have the same criteria!
AWAY there are professionals hired who deal with large cities - this is not a large city.
The Place where there should have been a roundabout was at the Peter Pan intersection! They opted not to put one there after MANY MONTHS and $$$'s OF STUDY! WRONG DECISION!
This would have initated a gateway for more roundabouts, by passes, etc.! They missed the Boat Big Time!
I believe Tweel is right on the mark in suggesting they revisit their decision on this roundabout! And I hope they listen to him. Better to ensure it is the right move before $3 mil is wasted ! It is our tax dollars don't forget!
At least Tweel has the Gumpsion to stand up for his convictions and admit he may have been wrong when he placed his vote in favour! I commend him on that front! How many other councillors would stick their neck out for our benefit? Give Credit where Credit is Due I say! -
- SS
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:00:58
This is another prime example of how everyone working on town council is working on their own agenda, helping their own friends and not working together.
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- Curious Georgia
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:00:47
There will be numerous disappointed whiners when they discover the round-about actually works.
Get with the times and dare to change your constant negativity. -
- as
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:55:57
THINK OF ALL THE ELECTRICITY IT WILL SAVE HAVING A ROUND ABOUT WITH NO LIGHTS. IT SHOULD PAY FOR IT SELF BY 2110 AND THEN IT WOULD BE TIME TO REPAVE.
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- How it is...
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:55:55
to The Observer: There is no sidewalk on that side of the street on Allen or Mt. Edward, so there should technically be no pedestrians. If they were on that side of the road, they should have used a crosswalk further up the road to get to a sidewalk before reaching the intersection. There are lots of crosswalks on Mt. Edward between Allen and Belvedere.
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- The Observer
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:45:12
How does a pedestrian on the northwest corner go anywhere except back north or to the west? He can't cross to the south or the east corner as there's no crosswalk. Or am I missing something in your diagram of the roundabout?
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- Mike
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:43:20
Typical Island attitudes.
We don't understand it or it is chnge so we should be against it.
Grow up People.
Roundabouts have been working all over the world and even in places where the drivers are worse than in PEI.( yes I Know coming from away that is actually hard to imagine but is true)
Roundabouts work in 98% of the locations they are built because they keep the traffic moving.
It seems for some reason Islanders have ant attitude that we should all stop and look around and see what everyone else is doing while we wait at the traffic light.
We all this does is create traffic snarls and pollutes the environment more for no reason.
I am sure Island drivers and even pedestrians will learn how to use the roundabout without any major accidents.
Give change a chance people.
Change is not always bad. Sometimes change is nice..or else would we prefer we still had horse buggies and No Cars.
Change can be nice. -
- costs less to be sure
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:42:35
Mr. Tweel is doing what I wish all levels of government would do here on the island - he is wanting to be darn sure this roundabout is the right way to go BEFORE we get stuck with it. Somebody should have taken a second look at the street signs before they went ahead and stuck them up on corners. Maybe the fact that they don't stand out well enough for everybody to see would have been discovered before they were all said and done. I give the man his due - proper research and foundation first. For something that costs a lot of money it is always a good thing to take one more look at the possible outcomes.
I don't know why Mr. Tweel wants another look or further discussion but since I have been posting numerous times on the plus side of being SURE before a large cash outlay then, if he has any uncertainty over this one it won't hurt to take that last look. Will it ? -
- Trevor
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:42:34
There is no sidewalk on the northwest corner: no pedestrians there.
