Winter driving conditions can pose a real challenge for Island drivers. What may seem like good conditions within a city or town can suddenly turn dangerous on the open highway.
Now drivers can find a good indication of what current road conditions are by clicking on to the PEI government website (www.gov.pe.ca) and then clicking on to road conditions. A table has been set up which indicates conditions on the province's major highways; users can also click on to an interactive map for the road conditions in the areas they wish to travel.
The conditions are updated regularly by the highways section. However, because conditions can change quickly, drivers are also advised to phone for updates. Telephone numbers are provided at the road conditions site. Drivers are also advised that there is no substitute for paying careful attention to the road conditions they encounter when actually driving.
"Enhancing public safety on Island roads is one of our Department's top goals," said Don MacKinnon, Minister of Transportation and Public Works. "The information on the website will give the travelling public an extra heads up before they set out on a trip or get out on the roads."
"The PEI government website is a tremendous resource for all kinds of information about the province," said Development and Technology Minister Mike Currie. "With the cooperation of the Department of Transportation and Public Works, we will be able to provide travellers with up-to-date road conditions, which I believe will be a real asset."
Twenty nine different stretches of road from across the province are highlighted on the table. Each section is given a different, colour-coded designation, depending on conditions which can range from clear to closed.