Cracks in pavement lead to heated debate at Charlottetown council

Things got heated at Charlottetown's city council Monday night over the paving andlack of paving of some city streets.

Some councillors think the city is neglecting streets in their wardsand is giving unfair attention to others.

"I'm sick and tired of not getting my fair share for my ward, whether it's ditches, pavement, painting on the lines," said Councillor Bob Doiron during Monday night's council meeting. Doiron represents Ward 6 Mount Edward.

"I'm demanding respect for our ward and I want some changes."

'A boiling point'

Doiron said that streets acrossthe city are being upgraded with new pavement, while streets in his ward have yet to be dealt with.

"I'm trying my best," saidDoiron. "I'm trying to work with council,and tonight was a boiling point for meto try to get my fair share."

He also argued that some streets in his ward were scheduled to be paved by mid-August, and aren't done yet.

All streets on the current list(including the identified streetsinDoiron'sward) will be paved by next month, explained the chair of Public Works, Councillor Terry Bernard.

"Really, at the end of the day, all the streets are going to be done by September the15th. So if BobbyDoironis saying he's got streets on that list that aren't done yet, be patient, they're on the list to be done. They will be done."

Councillors want equal distribution of funds

Councillor Mitchell Tweelechoed some of Doiron's concerns with respect to his own Ward 4 St. Avard's citing Orlebar Street, Gerald Street and Wendy Driveas streets that need improvements.

The city says thatOrlebar Street is on the list of streets to be pavedthis summer.

"I think what the problem is, is that in terms of an equal level playing fieldwhich is fair for the entire city, street paving seems to be a tremendous disparity and discrepancy with respect to streets that are badly needed in terms of paving and reconstruction," said CouncillorTweel.

CouncillorsDoironand Tweel also argued that funds should be distributed equally between the 10 wards.

There's a rating system in place

There is a rating system in place meant to prioritize the streets that are in the worst conditions, Bernard explained. A team of engineers rate the roads across the city based on a set of criteria. That criteria is put into a computer system which then determines which streets are in the worst conditions. Those streets are the ones that get addressed first.

"[Their responses] did somewhat surprise me because the rating system has been working really well,"said Bernard.

Bernard argued that this is a better system than equally distributing funds between wards, because that might lead to some streets getting paved when they don't need to be.

Councillor Tweel said that the methodology isn't working.

"I think the public works committee needs to atone and be more accountable for that type of or that lack of service that's being provided," said Tweel.

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