Charlottetown's public works department is promising better snow removal, increased safety for pedestrians, smoother flowing traffic on University Avenue, smoother streets and, maybe, a second roundabout in 2010.
"We've revamped our snow removal operation,'' Coun. Terry Bernard, chair of public works, told The Guardian in a year-end interview. "We've added more plow trucks to the current rate.''
Last winter, there were eight rigs moving snow. This coming winter, that service will be increased to 10 rigs.
Mayor Clifford Lee concurs, explaining that its part of the city's promise to residents in the amalgamated areas that everyone would receive a equal level of service.
Crews are already out widening University Avenue to four lanes. When the project wraps up in 2010, the heavily-travelled thoroughfare will be four lanes from the Peter Pan intersection to Allen Street.
Crews have been busy lately at the Mount Edward Road-Allen Street intersection. Motorists will be driving in circles by July 1 in the city's first roundabout but that's not what's happening now.
The work that has been taking place involves replacing the aging storm water and sewer system as well as the potable water pipes.
"We want all that new. We don't want to be tearing into this intersection again. The storm sewer that was there was very old, it was creating all the flooding on that intersection. The capacity wasn't there to carry the water.''
That's one of the reasons why the project qualified under the Build Canada program, because upgrades were needed to solve the problem with flooding.
It will cost the three levels of government $3 million to replace the again storm water system and complete the roundabout. The cost breaks down to $1.5 million to fix the water problems and another $1.5 million to do the roundabout.
Bernard said there is one misunderstanding about the project he'd like to clear up - that the roundabout is more expensive than a signalized intersection.
"The cost to do this intersection is the same cost as it would be for a signalized intersection. There is no difference. Both (projects) would have cost the same.''
Bernard says studies on roundabouts prove they are safer, that they reduce impact collisions by more than 90 per cent.
As for pedestrians, they cross Mount Edward and Allen streets outside the roundabout. Bernard explained that most car-pedestrian accidents are caused by drivers turning left.
They're attention is on oncoming traffic and not who's walking across the intersection. With the roundabout, since traffic is always moving forward, pedestrians crossing in the crosswalks will be in their line of sight.
A second roundabout is possible on Belvedere Avenue where UPEI intersects the Farmers' Market. Funding for the project has been approved but the consultants need to determine whether it should be a roundabout or a signalized intersection.
Pedestrians are also getting overheard crosswalk signals at the following intersections - at Holland College's Glendenning Hall, Longworth Avenue and the Confederation Trail and on Brackley Point Road and Bun King.
The pavement motorists are driving on should be smoother this winter and spring.
