New, safer school entrance coming with Cornwall bypass

When the Cornwall bypass opens on the Trans-Canada Highway west of Charlottetown later this month, the province will also open a new entrance to Eliot River School that it says will improve safety.

Current access to the school is through a residential subdivision that also provides access to the adjacent Terry Fox Sports Complex through the school parking lot. The province has built a new road connecting to the current Trans-Canada Highway that will serve as the main entrance for both the school and the sports complex once the bypass opens.

Provincial engineer Stephen Yeo said school buses will have exclusive use of the old entrance.

"Any vehicle traffic now will go off the main street into the back of the school and there's going to be a drop-off area there for the children that do get driven to school, and that will be safer for all involved," said Yeo.

"You don't get vehicle traffic mixed in with bus traffic."

The current entrance will be gated and opened for the buses in the morning and afternoon, and monitored by school staff while it is open.

Temporary opening

The new entrance is open this weekend to accommodate a soccer tournament at the Terry Fox Sports Complex. Officials determined this would be safer than having traffic go through the school.

A passing lane on the Trans-Canada has been converted into a turning lane to make the entrance safer, and signage is in place for the weekend.

That entrance will be closed again Monday.

The Cornwall bypass is scheduled to open at 7 a.m. Oct. 21, and the new school entrance will be opened later that same day.

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