Residents Push Back on County Road 3 Project as Questions Grow Over Road Priorities

Why is Prince Edward County moving ahead with a County Road 3 rebuild when so many residents say other roads need help first? That is the question at the center of the debate after the County announced a public information meeting for a road project in Ameliasburgh. What started as a small public notice has quickly turned into a much bigger conversation about fairness, spending, and trust.

On paper, the project itself is straightforward. According to the County's public information centre notice, the planned work covers about 1.1 kilometres of County Road 3, from where the previous phase ended near civic address 1460 west to civic address 1668. The work includes ditch improvements, culvert replacements, paved shoulder and full removal and replacement of the existing asphalt surface. Construction is expected between May or June to September 2026, pending approvals, with at least one lane expected to stay open.

But the bigger story is not the list of construction details but the public reaction. In the comments from the community, residents repeatedly questioned why this section of County Road 3 is being prioritized at all. Some say County Road 49 should come first. Others pointed to County Road 18, Salem Road, and several Ameliasburgh roads they believe are in worse condition. A few commenters went further arguing that the County is spending money on roads that matter more to visitors than to the people who live here year-round.

The County did make County Road 3 part of its 2026 adopted capital budget which sets aside $14 million for road reconstruction and rehabilitation this year. County Road 3, from near Campbell's Orchards west for 2 kilometres, is listed as one of the specific reconstruction projects. That makes it fair for residents to ask why this route made the list and whether the County has clearly explained the reasoning.

But some of the reaction also leaves out important context. The claim that County Road 49 is being ignored is no longer accurate. On March 19, 2026, the County announced that the Ontario government is funding the rehabilitation of County Road 49. The municipality said it expected to move forward worth tendering shortly, with construction planned across the 2026 and 2027 seasons. To put it simply, Road 49 and Road 3 are not competing in the same way some comments suggest.

The same apple to the broader budget concerns. County Road 3 is one project but it is not the entire rural roads plan. The County's March 12 update on the 2026 rural roads program says the municipality is also investing $4.5 million in rehabilitation and preventative maintenance on 53 kilometres of rural roads this year.

That does not settle the debate over whether the right roads were chosen but it does show that this is part of the larger program. 

What the public notice did not do and what likely fueled the backlash was explain the ‘why’. The County says its maintenance decisions are guided by provincial maintenance standards and its capital planning process. But for many residents, that feels too abstract. When people are dealing with vehicle repairs, rough roads and longer travel time, they are not looking for technical terms but asking why this road, why now, and why before others.

That is why the upcoming public meeting matters. It is not just construction details but a chance for the County to show residents how this section of County Road 3 was selected, how it fits into the 2026 road program and how factors like road condition, drainage, traffic, cost and long-term planning are weighted when making decisions. 

Do you think the County has clearly explained why County Road 3 is moving ahead now, or are residents right to push harder for a different set of priority?