Prince Edward Island Signs

[ghYHZ]

Made a quick trip over to PEI yesterday and grabbed a few sign shots:

Just leaving the Wood Islands Ferry Terminal you have a choice of several coastal drives:





And a few others:















Arriving back at the Wood Islands Terminal to wait for the Nova Scotia Ferry:

[xonhulu]

Hope no one's offended by my observation that PEI's route shields look really dumb.

Thanks for posting those shots.  That is probably someplace I'll never make it to, so it was cool to see your photos of the island's highways.

[ghYHZ]

Hope no one's offended by my observation that PEI's route shields look really dumb.

It's representative of the PEI Provincial Flag:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Prince_Edward_Island

"three small oak saplings — representing the three counties of PEI (Prince, Queens, and Kings) — under the protection of a great oak tree which represents Great Britain'

[vdeane]

I was thinking environmentalists... 

[Alps]

xonhulu - my site has just a few PEI photos itself O:)

[mtantillo]

I was thinking environmentalists... 

I was thinking I was on a Florida toll road!

[Duke87]

That reminds me, I need to find an excuse to take a week and go explore the Maritimes sometime.

Wonder if I could pull off doing it next summer...

[Michael in Philly]

That reminds me, I need to find an excuse to take a week and go explore the Maritimes sometime.

Wonder if I could pull off doing it next summer...

Or foliage season.  I'm vaguely contemplating Maine for October.
Canadian Thanksgiving is the same day as Columbus Day.

[Ian]

Cool photos! While you were over on PEI, you should have photographed their awesome traffic signals 

[Duke87]

Or foliage season.

Nah, I'd rather see it green.

[ghYHZ]

I was over to PEI yeasterday and got a few more shots:

A new Veterans Highway 2 Sign (the Starfish represents it's part of the Coastal Drive)





...and a couple of others:







The eastern end of TCH1 at the Wood Islands, PEI ferry terminal





....and ready to dock with TCH106 in Caribou, Nova Scotia

[Alps]

For the record, this thread now contains all of the overhead signage in that province.

[OracleUsr]

Almost made PEI a couple of weeks ago on my New Brunswick trip, just couldn't bring myself to spend the $45 to cross the Confederate Bridge.

[1995hoo]

Hope no one's offended by my observation that PEI's route shields look really dumb.

It's representative of the PEI Provincial Flag:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Prince_Edward_Island

"three small oak saplings — representing the three counties of PEI (Prince, Queens, and Kings) — under the protection of a great oak tree which represents Great Britain'

It's a pretty ubiquitous symbol of PEI. I remember attending the 1989 Canadian Boy Scout Jamboree when I was growing up and the event's logo contained those trees as well:




That trip was in the days before the Confederation Bridge and the ferry queue at Borden when we headed home was interminable. I haven't been back since then and lately I've kicked around the idea of perhaps next summer going up there on a golf vacation and seeing how the bridge has changed things. I rather suspect the bridge might have hurt the lodging industry to some degree by making it more likely that people might do day trips.

[Alps]

Almost made PEI a couple of weeks ago on my New Brunswick trip, just couldn't bring myself to spend the $45 to cross the Confederate Bridge.

2/3 the price of the ferry. Not a whole lot more than the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, at that. Or the real idea is that you love it so much you stay.

[oscar]

Almost made PEI a couple of weeks ago on my New Brunswick trip, just couldn't bring myself to spend the $45 to cross the Confederate Bridge.

Just to clarify, the $45 is westbound only.  Getting to PEI is free, but they would rather you stay awhile.  The ferry between PEI and Nova Scotia is the same deal, but as Steve noted the price is higher on the ferry than the bridge.

I liked the Green Gables north central coastal route sign, even though it's one more reminder of how PEI flogs the "Anne of Green Gables" story to death.  The epicenter of "Anne-itis" (as at least one Canadian has dubbed it) is Cavendish, on the Green Gables route. 

[ghYHZ]

When the bridge opened in 1997, the toll was set at the same rate you would have paid if still crossing on the Marine Atlantic Ferry it replaced. That has increased yearly based on the annual inflation rate and is currently $44.25.

The fare on Northumberland Ferries (which continue to operate) at the eastern end of PEI to Nova Scotia was always higher. Currently $66 + $5 fuel surcharge.

(Bridge crossing: 13 KM, NFL Ferry: 22 KM)

With the tolls collected upon leaving the Island only, the choice is yours if doing a circle trip: Cross over for free on the ferry, return via the bridge and save $27. Or.......have your free crossing on the bridge and pay the higher ferry rate to return. Funny how people have no problem paying the higher fare on the Ferry but find the bridge tolls outrageous.

And you have to pay for a billion dollar bridge somehow! Also.....it's all about convenience. I can remember coming back from PEI as a kid on a Sunday afternoon after a weekend at the beach. Sitting in the car in lineups on the dock for two or three hours......hot, sunburned......inching forward with each ferry crossing. Now you cross on your schedule.

[vdeane]

Other billion dollar bridges have tolls a mere fraction of $45.  The next most expensive bridge I can think of is the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, which is 75% cheaper but still infamous for having a very high toll.

[ghYHZ]

Other billion dollar bridges have tolls a mere fraction of $45.  The next most expensive bridge I can think of is the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, which is 75% cheaper but still infamous for having a very high toll.

Think how much faster that $ Billion will be paid down with higher traffic counts:.

Verrazano Narrows Bridge: 190,000 vehicles per day

Confederation Bridge: 4,000 vehicles per day

[ghYHZ]

And you have to pay for a billion dollar bridge somehow!

And I remember there was a funding formula based on the requirements of maintaining a ferry service over the life of the bridge (100 years)......new vessels, maintenance, staffing, fuel costs etc. The bridge toll would never be more than what the public would pay if they were still crossing by ferry.

On the NFL Ferries there is now a $5 fuel surcharge......something you don't pay crossing the bridge.     

[Road Hog]

Does the ferry have amenities like shops, restaurants, etc. like the English Channel ferries?

[ghYHZ]

Does the ferry have amenities like shops, restaurants, etc. like the English Channel ferries?

Yes, a cafeteria, coffee bar, gift shop and local musicians on deck during the summer......it's about a 75 minute crossing.

http://www.nfl-bay.com/northumberland-ferries-ship-information/

[Alps]

Does the ferry have amenities like shops, restaurants, etc. like the English Channel ferries?

Yes, a cafeteria, coffee bar, gift shop and local musicians on deck during the summer......it's about a 75 minute crossing.

http://www.nfl-bay.com/northumberland-ferries-ship-information/

They also have 80s video games.

[Road Hog]

Does the ferry have amenities like shops, restaurants, etc. like the English Channel ferries?

Yes, a cafeteria, coffee bar, gift shop and local musicians on deck during the summer......it's about a 75 minute crossing.

http://www.nfl-bay.com/northumberland-ferries-ship-information/

They also have 80s video games.

DOUBLE awesome!