In the aftermath of the 2018 New Brunswick spring flood, residents in Lakeville Corner, N.B., are unable to use two bridges along a stretch of highway because of severe damage from flood waters.
Residents wanting to use Route 690 to get to the Sheffield and Maugerville area can’t drive their vehicles over the ‘twin bridges’ and have to cross the bridge on foot if they want to avoid an hour detour.
Area resident Lacey Harding said she lives two kilometres on the north side of the bridges and said she either walks to her car parked on the other side of the bridge or gets her husband to drop her off at the bridge.
Harding said it usually takes her 20 minutes to get to work when the bridges are open, but if she doesn’t walk, it’s approximately an hour-and-a-half detour around.
READ MORE: Extent of damage becoming clear in Maugerville as flood waters recede
Harding said it’s a “waiting game” to find out when the province will be able to finish assessing and repair the infrastructure. She also said not all residents know they can park at the base of the bridge and walk across for the time being.
READ MORE: Nova Scotia sending $100K to New Brunswick to help with flood relief
Fredericton-Grand Lake PC MLA Pam Lynch said she’s been in contact with the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DTI) and has been keeping residents up to date through social media as she finds out information.
“I’ve been in contact with DTI officials and so far I know that the north bridge has moved six inches off the span and so it obviously has to be pushed back and I’m very hopeful that they can remedy this situation in a short period of time,” Lynch said,
Lynch has been told she’ll be getting an update from Transportation Minister Bill Fraser with more information.
“It’s a horrible inconvenience,” Lynch said. “There are a lot of military people that live here, they have to travel all the way around to get to Oromocto and not only that if they’re in an emergency on the base they only have so much time to get there and that could be crucial for them.”
READ MORE: N.B. government urging residents of flooded-out homes to report damage
Lynch said the bridge closures also raise concerns about emergency response times if ambulances, police or fire trucks need to respond to residents or incidents in the area quickly.
“We have to have a quick solution and we need it fast,” Lynch said.
She said once construction starts people likely won’t be able to leave their vehicles parked on the road near the bridges. She thinks residents would be happy with a temporary bridge if there isn’t a quick fix to repair the current damage.
In an email statement to Global News from DTI spokesperson Jeremy Trevors, he stated that crews are still assessing the damage to roads and bridges across the province that were damaged by the recent flooding event.
“We are hoping to restore traffic to the bridge in Lakeville Corner and our other assets as soon as possible,” the statement reads. “Initially a plan was developed to evaluate approximately 135 bridges and culverts in the province that were impacted by flooding. During our response, many other structures were evaluated prior to the roads being reopened.”
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