Truckers reminding drivers they need more space through roundabouts

The Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association likes the new Cornwall bypass but they're warning those who don't drive big rigs that trucks need extra room on the new roundabouts.

"Turning a corner with a Honda Civic is not the same concept as with a 53-foot trailer," said Jean-MarcPicard, executive director of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association. "And it'sthe same for a roundabout, right?It'san education process for every driver out there because safety is our number one concern."

The long trailers need both lanes of the two-lane road to negotiate the turns properly.Cars need to steer clean of big trucks.

'A learning curve'

The association says it's an on-going issuethroughout at Atlantic Canada and especially on P.E.I. whereroundabouts are now underconstructionin Cornwall, Bloomfield and Mount Herbert.

• Province aims to keep traffic flowing through Cornwall bypass construction

"It's a learning curve but once everybody'scomfortablewith it, it flows traffic pretty well," said Picard.

The province says its roundabouts are built to national highway standards, and signs will be posted on the new ones, as they are on all roundabouts, reminding cars to give the big rigs all the room they need.

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