Flood-ravaged roads creating problems for N.B. residents

Roads that are ripped up due to last weekend's flooding in parts of New Brunswick continue to inconvenience many residents, some of whom are still out of their homes.

Sonia Goguen usually drives down the Babineau Road in the eastern New Brunswick community of Notre-Dame to get home. But that's no longer an option because a section was completely washed away over the weekend.

"The big culverts that washed away from my road, and some hay that's been washed away, the ice chunks over there, you can see how high the water came. The side of the road has been washed away. It's pretty messy," said Goguen.

A mandatory evacuation forced Goguen and her neighbours from their homes. She can now return home, but without a road, getting there is a challenge.

"We have about a 20-minute walk in the woods if we want to make it home, which kind of sucks because I've got a two-year-old and a four-year-old and a dog. And I can't risk going home in case of an emergency," she said.

Also in Notre-Dame, Falconer Road collapsed as a small stream grew. As the floodwater rose, it pushed ice chunks along the road, eating it up and washing away the culvert below.

The New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization evacuated the area as a precaution over the weekend.

"They've got three culverts to repair or replace and the Falconer Road project itself will take several weeks,if not months, to get back in shape. So it's an extensive job. It's going to cost a lot," said EMO coordinator Mike Leblanc.

During a tour of the area Monday, Leblanc and the Minister of Transportation Claude Williams said the repairs will cost at least $1 million.

"The department has to focus on future maintenance and rebuilding to ensure we can avoid a situation like the one here," said Williams.

Meanwhile, a growing sinkhole continues to force residents to take a 20-minute detour on Route 114 between Hillsborough and Riverview.

The road could be closed for at least another month or longer, says the province.