Route 114 detour costing motorists more than just time

Micheal Hicks was driving his girlfriend Margaret Danahy’s car when he ran over something on the road.

“I tried to avoid it, but there was a truck coming, and I couldn’t avoid it, and when I went over it, I thought it was enough to clear it,” said Hicks.

What he hit was a piece of asphalt sticking out of the road, which busted open a pan underneath Danahy’s 2013 Mitsubishi.

So Danahy filled out a claim form provided by the provincial government, used in situations when damage caused to a vehicle could have been due to unsafe roads. Then, she called to further inquire on her claim.

“I explained the situation, and she said, ‘You either have to have an invoice stating what it’s going to cost, or you have to have it fixed and send the bill to us, and then we might pay, after our investigation,'” said Danahy.

Danahy says the woman also added that the process would take four to six weeks. New Brunswick Transport Minister Bill Fraser says it could be even longer.

“Well, it takes several months to go through that regular process. We suggest the best approach is to have their insurance company get those damages looked after, and if the insurance company feels that there’s a third party liability, then it’s up to the insurance company to come after the government,” Fraser said.

Danahy says this a problem.

“If you put that through your insurance, it’s gonna put a ding on your insurance and drive it up,” Danahy said.

There have been 23 claims filed to the provincial government, stemming from damages sustained to vehicles along the detour road, but so far, none of those claims have been completed.

Meanwhile, Fraser says the temporary bridge being built on Route 114 is progressing on schedule.

“All the components of the bridge are on site. It’s pretty much assembled now and we expect to have the on site detour route open to at least one lane by mid-May,” Fraser said.