Water pools in a pothole on Minna Jane Drive that has now been patched. Photo by Logan MacLean /The GuardianArticle contentEvery Island driver knows the teeth rattling thud-clunk of hitting a pothole. It’s a problem across the province and capital every spring.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThis year, Charlottetown received complaints from residents uptown about a slew of potholes along Minna Jane Drive, a private road that contains businesses and apartments.Article contentArticle contentFor most roads, Charlottetown does the maintenance, with millions of dollars set aside in each budget. But because Minna Jane is privately owned, there have been months of ongoing discussions about what the city can actually do about those potholes.Article contentArticle contentMayor Philip Brown has been working on finding an answer, bringing the issue to the planning and heritage committee in May and June, before taking it to public works on July 22.Article contentThis spring, residents of the Chesapeake apartment buildings on Minna Jane Drive sent a letter calling for improvement, Brown said at the May planning committee.Article content“It is a private road, a private lane, but it is in a very unsightly, dangerous and hazardous condition, so I’m just trying to find out which pathway do we go down.”Article contentHe also pointed out 18-wheelers that work with Seafood Express have to use Minna Jane, which may not be built for such heavy truck traffic.Article contentThe question, though, is jurisdiction and bylaws that allow enforcement.Article content Charlottetown is looking into options for dealing with potholes on privately owned roads, like this one on Minna Jane Drive that has since been fixed. Photo by Logan MacLean /The GuardianArticle contentJuneArticle contentIn June, Brown asked for an update. Michael Ruus, director of integrated growth, said the city’s legal team was looking into it, likely looking at Canadian legal precedent.Article contentNew public infrastructure has a roads and services agreement with the city, but that doesn’t exist for Minna Jane Drive, he said.Article contentArticle contentHe also said the city’s zoning and development bylaw no longer allows the building of new private roads. Development is still allowed on pre-existing private roads.Article contentArticle contentJulyArticle contentIn July, Brown took the issue to public works. However, Coun. Mitchell Tweel, committee chair, referred the mayor back to planning, saying it has been made clear that private roads are not a public works item.Article content“We don’t deal with maintenance, or we don’t deal with anything to do with private roads. I think I’ve said that I don’t know how many times,” Tweel said.Article contentDespite this, Brown said the issue goes beyond Minna Jane Drive, including roads like John Yeo Drive and Nicholas Lane.Article contentBrown suggested John Yeo Drive could be closed if improvement doesn’t come. He also said the issue is less of a problem this time of year, but it rears up again during winter and spring.Article contentThe Guardian visited Minna Jane Drive in early June and found about two dozen potholes. Most have since been patched up.Article contentThe Guardian requested an interview with Brown, but he was not available. Instead, the city sent a statement saying it is aware of concerns raised by residents about safety and accessibility of the road.
Charlottetown re-evalutating how it handles potholes on private roads
