VIDEO: Heading to Cavendish this weekend? Beware of this problematic road in rural P.E.I.

ST. PATRICKS, P.E.I. — Tens of 1000’s of individuals can be heading to P.E.I. this weekend for the Cavendish Seashore Music Pageant, however for Heidi Deagle, it’s not one thing she seems to be ahead to.

Deagle lives simply exterior of Hunter River on Perry Street. It’s a slender grime highway that isn’t appropriate for big automobiles, however every single day, she’s seeing a relentless stream of automobiles coming down the trail, together with massive RVs, trailers and even supply vans.

She finds herself coming exterior a number of occasions a day to assist folks manoeuvre their automobiles into her driveway and again on the highway. Deagle isn’t at all times house, so some folks merely drive onto her yard with their massive automobiles, inflicting injury to her garden, which she’s been making an attempt to restore and replant since Fiona.

Drivers inform her it’s Google Maps that directed them onto this path to Cavendish.

“I perceive that the map is telling them to go that means. So, it is not likely their fault. However simply taking the freedom to drive throughout somebody’s yard when you may clearly see it has been seeded … it is only a nuisance,” Deagle advised SaltWire in an interview on July 4.

“We come house and we will see new tire tracks and the grime’s all torn up and stuff like that. So, it is arduous for us to get our yard again to some type of a presentable state with that taking place.”

“I perceive that the map is telling them to go that means. So, it is not likely their fault. However simply taking the freedom to drive throughout somebody’s yard when you may clearly see it has been seeded … it is only a nuisance.” – Heidi Deagle

Security issues

Perry Street is amongst 16 designated heritage roads throughout the Island. The slender, crimson clay lanes are protected against asphalt, providing folks views of the countryside and rural life, based on Tourism P.E.I.’s web site.

This 12 months marks the third time Deagle has seen visitors travelling down this path, however she stated it wasn’t as dangerous the years earlier than, and she or he doesn’t know why she’s seeing significantly extra automobiles lately, each vacationers and supply folks.

With the musical competition this weekend, Deagle stated she’s anticipating a fair larger inflow of automobiles, so she’s planning to place up stakes and ropes round her yard to discourage folks from driving onto her property.

“However that also would not resolve the issue of individuals getting caught and never having the ability to get themselves rotated,” she stated, including the highway poses security dangers for heavy visitors, given its slender, single-lane construction.

Throughout SaltWire’s go to, the proof of the visitors state of affairs was obvious, with automobiles travelling from each ends of the highway.

Amongst them was Troy Rodenhiser. He and his household from Bridgewater, N.S., have been making an attempt to get to a campground in Cavendish. Counting on Google Maps, they have been directed to go down Perry Street, solely to understand midway by way of that the highway was impassible for his or her truck that was towing a 32-foot camper behind.

“We will must again up and return to the opposite not-so-great highway,” Rodenhiser stated, referring to Hazel Grove Street, which additionally has a mud part.

Rodenhiser was going to again up into Deagle’s yard, mistaking a part of it for the highway, however after studying it was non-public property, he slowly reversed out.

Deagle stated post-tropical storm Fiona felled lots of old-growth bushes in her yard, so now there’s no separation between the highway and her property.

Options wanted

Deagle has considered placing up signage on the entrance of Perry Street to warning drivers with bigger automobiles to steer clear, however she believes it isn’t her place to take that duty upon herself.

Since Perry Street is designated as a scenic heritage highway, she hopes the provincial authorities will step in and deal with this concern, significantly with the surge in visitors throughout the summer season months, Deagle stated.

“If persons are going to be directed to this highway and use it, then it will must be made extra secure and satisfactory for all several types of automobiles.”

In an electronic mail assertion to SaltWire, the province stated it does keep heritage roads, like Perry Street, however solely throughout the interval from Could to October. As per the provincial Roads Act, the province is allowed to grade the highway and trim bushes to keep up one-lane entry.

Whereas this common upkeep has been carried out on Perry Street, the province will not be permitted to construct up or alter these roads.

“All drivers, particularly drivers of wider automobiles, ought to use warning when accessing any seasonal unpaved roads and alter routes based mostly on climate circumstances and their automobile sort,” stated the province.

For vacationers visiting the Island, Deagle has one piece of recommendation.

“There are particular roads on Prince Edward Island, rural, you already know, grime roads which might be by no means going to be your greatest route, like, they need to by no means present up in your GPS or your Google Maps as essentially the most environment friendly, most secure greatest route.”

Thinh Nguyen is a reporter with SaltWire in Prince Edward Island. He could be reached by electronic mail at [email protected] and adopted on Twitter @thinhnguyen4291.