A section of New Brunswick’s Route 114 washed away in April and, five months later, little has been done to repair the road.
A temporary bridge was built, but residents say the washed-out road has become a safety issue.
“Many drivers in this area are nervous about winter conditions anyway and it would really interfere with and create some very dangerous driving conditions,” says JoAnne Thompson Franklin, who owns a physiotherapy centre along Route 114.
“It just seems as though things are being delayed and this will impact a lot of families in this area.”
The road was closed for 11 days after the flooding in April, creating a detour and causing inconveniences for both motorists and business owners.
“For anybody who was close to the washout, like on this side of the washout, it meant they had to drive, some estimates are, 45 minutes longer,” says resident Dwayne Biggar.
Jay Lee says sales at his gas bar and convenience store were a fraction of what they normally are during that time.
“The sales were down to 80 to 90 per cent. If it’s closed again, big problem,” says Lee.
Some residents fear work will not be completed before winter sets in.
“I have been down here all summer and this is the first time I have seen anybody working here all summer,” says Liberal candidate Terry Keating. “I don’t know why it has taken so long to fix this bridge.”
The New Brunswick Department of Transportation says the work including a major culvert replacement, should be completed by the end of October.
Residents say they hope the work that began Wednesday will continue until the job is done.
With files from CTV Atlantic's David Bell
