Drivers should be aware of highway maintenance crews as they work to repair shoulder washouts, says Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Robert Vessey.

“The mix of heavy rain and melting snow has softened the soil to the point that some of our highway shoulders have washed out,” Minister Vessey said. “For your safety and the safety of our maintenance crews, please use caution when approaching areas where work is happening to repair the damage caused by this most recent weather event.”

Standing water on roadways and water-filled potholes are also concerns right now, and drivers should slow down when approaching large puddles or avoid them if possible. Prince Edward Island’s silty clay soil collects and holds more water than other less absorbent soils, making it more prone to washouts and also to potholes, as the moist soil under the road surface re-freezes and expands to cause cracking in the pavement above.

Work will begin in late May on permanent pothole repair as weather permits. To report a road problem such as a shoulder or road washout, pothole, or a downed road sign, visit www.gov.pe.ca/reportproblems.