Sections of N.B. Trans Canada Trail will be on highway shoulders

WATCH: New Brunswick is one of the provinces facing a looming deadline and lots of work to complete the Trans Canada Trail, and as Global’s Laura Brown reports, the province might resort to a solution that doesn’t really fit the spirit of the trail.

FREDERICTON – Sections of New Brunswick’s leg of the Trans Canada Trail will have to be built on the shoulder of highways, says the executive director of NB Trails.

“The decision was made about four years ago to look at what is realistic to get the country connected from coast to coast to coast,” said Poul Jorgensen, Executive Director of NB Trails.

“To make that happen, many places were unable to get it off-road because of private property or other situations.”

The cross-country trail is supposed to be completed in celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017.

To make that happen, that picturesque, peaceful trail through our country’s natural wonders had to be dropped in some areas, replaced by the shoulders of highways.

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New Brunswick is not the only province having to resort to building trails on highway shoulders. The province is in the middle of the pack, with about 60 per cent of the trails completed.

Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland have completed their trail system, while Saskatchewan has less than half completed.

But Jorgensen says the highways will suit some travellers.

“We realize the majority of people that are going to be using that are cyclists so that will be an ideal spot for them,” he said.

It does leave some avid trail users a little skeptical.

“I think it probably is a little dangerous and I’m sure it’s a trade off between cost and convenience,” said Charles Ramsay, who uses Fredericton-area trails almost every day.

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“I don’t think I would (use it), no,” said Helene Durette. “I love it here, these are beautiful trails around town.”

Route 102 west of Fredericton will be used as a connection between Fredericton and Woodstock. There are some scenic spots along the route that travellers can enjoy, but the speed limit ranges between 80 and 100 km/h.

From Woodstock to Grand Falls is all off-road trails. Route 144 will be used from Grand Falls to the northern border of the province.

But along the southern part of the province and the Fundy coast, off-road trails are being completed.

Jorgensen is confident this will mean the province’s part of the trail will be completed by the 2017 deadline.

“99.9 per cent sure. Our biggest issue is getting the roadway connections done,” he said.

The federal and provincial governments are matching donations before the two-year deadline.