Constant traffic troubles are commonly associated with larger cities, but residents in one small Manitoba community have been dealing with an urban-sized commuting headache.
Waskada, a town in the province’s southwestern oil patch, has been without its main bridge for more than a year. The crossing at Highway 251 between Waskada and Coulter, Manitoba was washed out in a flood about 14 months ago and hasn’t been replaced.
The Manitoba government has denied the town’s pitch for a temporary bridge due to safety concerns and costs.
As a result, some residents, like Shirley Kernaghan, have been forced to come up with a plan B to get from point A to B every day. She gets in her car, drives on the road – and then through a pasture. Then Kernaghan gets out for a brisk walk through a muddy marsh, before a short climb onto a rickety, old bridge over the Souris River – and she hasn’t even reached the halfway point.
After the bridge, the 65-year-old gets into a second vehicle, and completes her commute. “I guess I have to say I’m stubborn and determined,” she told Global‘s Lauren McNabb.
Get breaking National news
Technically, Kernaghan’s current commute is shorter than what most other residents are forced to endure – a 20-kilometre detour on a dirt road that adds 45 minutes to any round trip. It’s worse – 90 minutes long – for those using heavy farm machinery.
The commute isn’t just taking up cattle farmer Greg Trewin’s time – it’s costing a lot of money too. “I figure just the gas portion to drive to work is 400 bucks a month over and above from before.”
“I think it’s terrible that people have to drive so far to get to work every day, to get a living,” Kernaghan said.
The Souris River divides Trewin’s farm land. Up until this month, he was using a boat to cross the water and check on his cattle. “Then someone took the oars…so now it’s kind of up the creek without a paddle.”
Hundreds are in the same boat as Trewin, concerned the absence of a bridge would only hamper Manitoba’s booming farm and oil economy.
The town ended up hiring an engineer, who concluded a temporary bridge would cost only $600,000 to build, even getting oil companies EOG Resources and PennWest to pony up upwards of $250,000 to the project.
The province, on the other hand, has flushed away that idea. It says a temporary bridge would cost $6 million – 10 times the engineer’s estimate.
Waskada Mayor Gary Williams is frustrated with the lack of action. “We feel that we have come up with viable solutions, and all they do is tell you how it’s not going to work.”
In the meantime, Waskada residents will have to be patient. The province plans on constructing a permanent bridge, at a cost of $12 million, with the opening date scheduled for November 2013.
Until then, Waskada plans to keep up her daily trek. “I do like to exercise and try to keep as agile as I can.”
Follow Lauren on Twitter: @McNabbonGlobal
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.