LOOKING FOR DIRECTION
Prince County woman wants better road markings
“As each year went by, there hasn’t been any improvement at all.” Bev Cooper
SUMMERSIDE — Bev Cooper just doesn’t know where to turn. Literally.
The road markings are faded and unclear on Summerside streets, and it has become a safety issue, says Cooper. So she wrote a letter to the mayor.
She and her husband, Brian Cooper, moved to Mont Carmel four years ago. Right away, she noticed that the markings were poor.
“As each year went by, there hasn’t been any improvement at all. Here’s a prime example right here,” said Cooper, gesturing out the window of a Summerside coffee shop. There are no lines visible in the intersection at Central and Water streets.
The Pope Road and Central Street intersection is another bad corner, she said.
“Not to mention, the aging baby boomer population, a lot of them need that kind of visual,” said Cooper.
Cooper saw Charlottetown’s list of planned road work and hoped Summerside would share its plans as well.
Mayor Basil Stewart replied with an email to Cooper.
“Now that the rain has stopped let’s hope that the City of Summerside crew will get the streets, cross walks and other street painting completed as soon as possible,” said Stewart in his email.
Cooper calls the response a “semi-answer.”
“We’re going into our fourth year, you can’t use the weather as an excuse,” said Cooper.
Greg Gaudet, director of municipal services who is in charge of the line painting for the city, says the city is doing what it can based on what it’s given.
Summerside has a four-person crew dedicated to line painting. Currently there is enough cash in the budget to pay for the staff and one coat of paint on the lines per year.
Their work begins in early May with the city’s 180 crosswalks, starting in the school zones. Next are stop bars at intersections, then arrows and, finally, parking spaces.
“We try to get the busy intersections done before tourists come,” said Gaudet.
Any long white lines and the yellow centre lines are done by provincial crews, with a special line-painting vehicle.
Gaudet has already gotten the provincial team to re-draw the centre lines on Pope Avenue and Central Street in anticipation of extra traffic from the Granville Street roundabout construction. The rest of the city will be redrawn as the machine is available throughout the summer.
In 2012, the city began using water-based paint after a federal government-mandated switch from volatile organic compounds. The new paint wears away quickly over the winter.
The city could do more with a second crew, but Gaudet said that decision would be up to council. He estimated it would cost close to $100,000 for a second set of painting equipment and $180,000 per season for the staff.
“It’s a piece of the pie,” said Gaudet, meaning line-painting is just part of the city’s budget. “What slice do you want to spend where?”
Cooper feels fresh traffic markings send a positive message.
“Nice crisp parking areas for visitors and residents, it would just send a sign, like, ‘we care,’” said Cooper, adding, “let’s see what happens.”