EDITOR:
I wish to address an issue which has puzzled me for many years - the application of calcium chloride or manganese chloride to clay/gravel roads on P.E.I., in particular the Gillis Road in Eldon. Can someone explain to me, and many others, the benefits of this application. I have heard that it is to keep the road from blowing away as dust, also that some residents on dirt roads are concerned and affected by dust.
With respect to the Gillis Road, the only residents who might be affected by dust live on a wooded portion of this road which remains
damp and dust free.
The cons of the application are many. They are very damaging to vehicle finishes, frames, body, and mechanical parts like brake calipers. Also, when we receive any amount of rain, the surface of this road turns to mud, not unlike in March or April. Prior to this constant application of chemicals, the road remained solid and drained well during rain.
I arrived home today to find a second application of this chemical onthe road this summer. If the minds in charge of P.E.I. road maintenance are concerned with a little dust blowing the road away, have they considered the many kilos of mud removed by every vehicle passing over it during wet conditions.
Fellow islanders should question the need for this type of dust control. Ask your mechanic about the damage which is directly caused by chlorides.
Please stop this waste of public funds soon.
Merrill Gillis,
Eldon
