Drivers urged to be extra cautious on Hillsborough Bridge after 2nd accident in less than a week

After two accidents happened within days of each other on the Hillsborough Bridge, the RCMP is urging drivers to be more aware, slow down and give others space as they drive on one of P.E.I.'s busiest thoroughfares.

Both accidents — one last Friday and the other on Tuesday — involved four-car pileups and led to major traffic backups.

Sgt. Chris Gunn says the bridge becomes incredibly busy during the morning and evening commute, especially when tourists are in town.

He said it's even more pressing that drivers keep their eyes on the road during the summer months.

"We want to make sure when they're driving … that they pay extra attention to the vehicles in front of them," Gunn said.

"Somebody may stop abruptly due to whatever reason they see, and we don't want a chain reaction of cars running into each other."

Because traffic can be bumper to bumper, Gunn said it can be even more difficult for police and first responders to get to the scene of an accident.

"Traffic congestion ... interrupts our flow. It also interrupts if we need a tow truck on the scene," he said. 

"Take your time, pay attention to the traffic flow in front of you."

The 61-year-old bridge is a bottleneck for many drivers going to and from Charlottetown and Stratford. 

When there are accidents on the bridge, traffic often goes down to one or two lanes. On the Charlottetown side, it can be backed up all the way to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Driving through Mount Stewart to avoid the bridge can take close to an hour.

Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Ernie Hudson said safety on the Hillsborough Bridge is on his list of priorities. He said improvements to the bridge are topics staff in his department discuss frequently. 

Any upgrades to the Hillsborough Bridge would go in the capital budget, which is released in the fall.