'It is an accident waiting to happen': NDP wants rural road repaired

P.E.I.'s NDP leader is calling on government to do something about the state of rural roads in the province in particular, a road in his own community that hashorse-and-buggy traffic.

Mike Redmondsaid he wants the province's transportation minister Paula Biggarto take a drive on Brothers Road, where he lives.

The road in eastern P.E.I. is also home toother farm families as well asa growing number of Amish farmers who have moved to Kings Countyin recent years.

'An accident waiting to happen'

"The road is dangerous, has caused extensive damage to cars and trucks, and is heavily-used year round," Redmond said.

"In fact, the Amish have raised concerns about how poor the road is for their horses and carts. It is an accident waiting to happen."

Redmond said a1.7-kilometre asphalt section of the roadbetween Route3 and 48 Road is dotted with broken pavement. Crews recently filled many of the potholes about 350 by Redmond's countbut many remain.

According to Redmond, inaddition to vehicle damage, the road's state of disrepair has caused horses to go lame.

"It's gotten to the point where the residents of this road are actually using the shoulder to drive on the grass and that's really dangerous in its own right," he said.

Department of Transportation addresses concerns

A spokesperson for P.E.I.'s Department of Transportation told CBC News that crews will pave a 900-metre section of Brothers Road later this year. That section is at the northern end of the road, well beyond the 1.7-kilometre section that worries Redmond.

The province saidthe remainder of the road, including the section between Route 3 and the 48 Road, will be taken into consideration when it isdeveloping its2018 program.

Government saidit will spend $5.5 million this year to resurface70 to 80 kilometres of secondary roadsacross the province. An additional $1.2 million will be spent on asphalt patching.

"Government are doing some good things on this road in terms of finding some other access points to make sure the Amish can travel safely in Kings County," Redmondsaid.

"We all want everybody to be safe on the roads in Prince Edward Island."

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