Work beginning Friday on COVID-19 rapid testing site at Confederation Bridge

Planning is already complete and the P.E.I. government will break ground Friday morning for an 18-lane parking lot at the foot of Confederation Bridge to accommodate COVID-19 testing for people arriving in the province.

As part of a plan announced Thursday, the Island will open to vaccinated visitors from Atlantic Canada on June 27, but all of those visitors will be given a rapid test on arrival.

Provincial engineer Stephen Yeo said in addition to parking spaces temporary structures will be put up for the public health and security staff on site.

"We looked at the numbers last year when the Atlantic bubble opened, and we can store 300 vehicles in this parking lot at a time," said Yeo.

"Some days there were 2000, 2500 vehicles coming to the province and we feel with a parking lot this size we can handle that amount."

The facility will be built across the current roadway leading into Gateway Village. Non-commercial traffic will be diverted through that area. There will be no disruption to traffic during construction because the road is currently closed.

Trucks will continue to use the current route, which takes them to the scales.

The space is currently grass. The new facility will be temporary, with a surface of sandstone and crushed asphalt.

"We'll build this and use the facility, and then when the testing requirements are all done we'll turn it back into green space," said Yeo.

Total cost for the facility is expected to be $450,000.

More from CBC P.E.I.