Highway exit into Dieppe causing confusion for drivers

A redesignedhighway exit in Dieppe is causing confusion for many drivers and that's leading to a lot of last-second turns for people trying to head into the city.

When the Department of Transportation widened the off-ramp to Harrisville Boulevardfrom Highway 15, italso put in a new striping pattern.

Rebecca Jane drives from Scoudouc to Moncton five days a week for work and she said it's not uncommon for her to see a car swerving to get into the exit lane.

"I drive on a daily basis to Moncton, and witness at least once or twice a week people passing me in the left lane, and at the sudden last moment they cut to the far right to make the exit," she said.

Jane said she doesn't feel the signs are in the proper locations ever since the extension to the off-ramp was added.

Mike Pitre, a Dieppe resident, said rebuilding the ramp may have been a bad idea.

"When you arrive there it's a bit wider than it was before. I don't know why they did it that way," he said.

"There is like a middle lane between the two lanes," he said referring to the striped lane that divides the exit ramp from the highway.

The fading stripes on the divider lanes don't help either, according to Scott Hoyt, who drives from Nova Scotia to Moncton often.

"The sign is not confusing but the lines coming in on the divider could definitely be more defined," Hoyt said.

Sarah Bustard, a communications officer for the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, said the signsfor Exit 16 meetthe department's standards.

However, she said the department has been made aware of the confusion experienced by many drivers.

"The department has received feedback that the lane lines and striping on the extended ramp may be causing some confusion."

The Department of Transportation is currently evaluating the situation.