Traffic snarls face Fredericton drivers

Fredericton drivers are being warned to be prepared for a summer packed with unprecedented traffic delays on the city's downtown bridge.

Traffic is alreadyslow on the WestmorlandStreet Bridge during peak traffic periods as the downtown span is being repaved.

Traffic congestion is expected to increase dramatically when the Princess Margaret Bridge is closed for repairs in June.

Darren Charters, the city's chief traffic engineer, said people should prepare for long waits as there could be 70,000 cars trying to get over the bridge in a worst-case scenario.

"This is going to be bad, it has never happened before or as bad," he said.

The Princess Margaret Bridge, which sees an average of 20,000 vehicles each day, will be closed for nearly two months, starting in mid June. Traffic will be re-routed to the Westmorland Street Bridge, which already handles about 50,000 vehicles daily.

The provincial and city governments have already said some staff will be able to start work earlier or later in the day to cut down on the amount of traffic crossing the bridge in peak times.

The provincial government is spending $78-million to overhaul the 1,098-metre bridge that crosses theSt. John River.

Emergency concerns

There are concerns that routing all of the Princess Margaret Bridge's traffic across the city's other main crossing could lead toproblems in the case of an emergency.

While the bridge is under repair, the Westmorland Bridge will be the only route to the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital from the city's northside.

Michelle Price, who lives on the northside of Fredericton and uses the bridge, said she worries that emergency vehicles will be delayed when the Princess Margaret Bridge is closed for seven weeks this summer.

"Oh my God, it would be bad. The bridge is going to be packed. There's no way they could get through," she said.

Coun. Eric Megarity, the chair of the city's public safety and environment committee, said he "expects" that the Moncton-based RCMP helicopter will be on call in emergency situations.

"Of course too, there's evacuation teams by helicopter, also to transport the help back and forth," Megarity said.

The councillor said he's sure Fredericton Police have already approached the RCMP about using the helicopter.

But RCMP Const. Chantal Farrah said that never happened.

"The RCMP helicopter is based out of Moncton, but it does serve the Atlantic provinces, in many capacities and some of them are to assist in emergencies," Farrah said.

"We haven't received a request from the city of Fredericton, so on exactly what would be needed, it's impossible for us to answer."

Back in Fredericton, fire and ambulance officials say a helicopter is not part of their plan.

They have been planning for the traffic jams for months and are confident they can cope and clear a path across the river.