'Impossible to say' when Trans-Canada Highway between Fredericton and Moncton will reopen

The Trans-Canada Highway betweenMonctonand Fredericton is now closed to alltraffic Thursday night as water levels continue to rise, the Department of Transportation says.

The closure came into effect shortly after 7 p.m. and affects both eastbound and westbound traffic.

• Rising waters mean more road closures across the province
• Premier warns N.B. residents of flood levels never seen before
• Get out while you can, officials tell residents along rising St. John River

The highway could stay closed for several days, said AhmedDassouki, director of operations with the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.

"It's impossible to say how long the detour will be in place. At this time, we're just waiting for the water levels to recede,"Dassoukisaid.

"It's in the best interest of public safety, and that's our main priority now."

Trucks and cars will have to take routes through Saint John instead.Westbound traffic will be detoured to Route 1 at River Glade and eastbound trafficto Route 7 atOromocto.

Barricades and signs are in place to guide motorists.

Norman Clouston, general manager of MRDCOperations, which maintains that section of highway, said 10,000 to 12,000 vehicles travel the highway on a daily basis.

"There are a fair amount people who are impacted, and yes, the flow of goods will take a little bit longer as they work their way around," he said.

As the St. John River continues to rise, so do the number of road closures across the province.

Dassouki said more than 140 provincial roads, bridges and culverts have been affected by flooding, including 81 road closures. That number is expected to rise.

Just one of the province's river ferries wasfunctioning Thursday theGondola Point crossing in Quispamsis.

Road closures in Fredericton

Shuttles will run continuouslyfrom6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m, and again from3:30 p.m.to 7 p.m., from these locations:

Brookside Mall pickup, drop-off location at Queen andWestmorlandstreets.
Willie O'Ree pickup, drop-off location at Queen andWestmorlandstreets.
Grant Harvey Centre pickup, drop-off location York andBrunswick streets (Brunswick Street Baptist Church).
Regent Mall (former Sears location) pickup, drop-off location York andBrunswick streets (Brunswick Street Baptist Church).

City roads that are closed:

• Lincoln Road at City Limits (Baker Brook).
• Carleton Street atQueen Street.
• Water over road onWinslowand Alexandra streets and University Avenue.
• Shore Street.
• Riverside DriveatGibson Street.
• Riverside DriveatRoute8.
• Sunbury Drive.
• Carleton Street.
• Brunswick Street.Burpee Street.
• Cityview Avenue
• Morrell Park
• Riverside Drive
• River Streetunder walking bridge
• Devonshire Drive
• Union Street atGibson Street
• Saint Anne Point Drive
• Wilsey Road at Kimble Drive
• Vanier Highwayat Slip Lane to Lincoln
• Forest Hill, Slip Lane to Lincoln
• Waterloo Overpass
• Lincoln Rd atWaterloo Row
• University Avenue atGeorge Street
• Church Street
• King Street atSaint John Street
• Lincoln Road atthe Experimental Farm
• York Street atQueen Street
• Union Street off ramp
• Main Street off ramp
• Smythe Street off ramp
• BurpeeStreet atFloral Street and at Hildebrand Street.
• Lincoln Road at Vanier Industrial
• University Avenue atCharlotte Street

District 5 - Fredericton area

• Route 690 Pond Stream Road to Douglas Harbour Road.
• Route 105 between Route 107 and Kinney Road.
• Route 101 CentralBlissville, 280 meters north of the intersection with Branch Road.
• Route 105 with detour in both directions using Allison Road and Hunter Road then back on to Route 105.
• Route 105 below Hartland, detour on Route 575 and Rideout Road.
• Route 105 from the Princess Margaret Bridge to McGowan's Corner.
• Route 105 from intersection of route 104, 4 kilometres going west, water over road
• Tweedside Road closed for 8.9 km from Route 3 Brockway.
• The Tripp Settlement Road in Keswick Ridge for 1.5 km from Route 105.
• Kenneth Road in Glassville from West Glassville Road to West Cross Road.
• Campbell Hill Road in Carlow from civic number 60 to West Glassville Road.
• Frasier Road in Brighton between Mainstream Road and Ashland Road.
• Duplissea Road in CentralBlissville, 280 meters north of Brach Road intersection.
• Rusagonis Road between Sunpoke Road and Rusagonis Stream Bridge.
• Route 102 in Central Hampstead, near Pelvin Road.
• Route 102 in Swan Creek, south of Burton Bridge.
• Dorn Ridge Road, reduced to one lane in gravel section.
• Waterville Road, 30 meters south of Maple Street in GearySunburyCounty.
• Route 123 from Chipman Village Limits to Stevenson Road.
• Backland Road between Back Greenfield and Greg Settlement dirt road.
• McKeaghan Road between Charleston Road and chipseal, about 1.5 kilometres.
• Route 116, from Route 123 to Briggs Corner Road.
• Starkey Covered Bridge on Starkey Road from Route 10 to Route 710.
• Smith Road in Waterville closed at intersection with Waterville Road.
• Post Road between Midland Road and Chipman
• Route 104 reduced to one lane around civic 228 and 246.
• Route 102, 100 m from Upper HampsteadRoad.

District 6 - Edmundston area

• Petit-Quest Road, from intersection of L'Acadie Road to Range Bye Road. about 3.4 kilometres.
• Riley Brook North, near Route 385 in Riley Brook.
• Nadeau Road in Baker Brook between Joseph Mornault Road and Grand-Reed Road.
• Route 380 closed 500 metres north of Lebel Road.
• Route 144 fromEdmundstoncity limits to Riviere-Verte and between civic number 1785 and 1795 in Saint-Leonard-Parent.
• Pleasant Street in Aroostook 100 metres from Berry Road.
• Little River #1 Bridge in the Parish of Denmark.
• Route 105 between Lucy's Gulch Road and Cantello Road in the Salmon Bridge area.
• Iroquois River #3.5 Bridge in Edmundston
• Quisibis River #2 in the Parish of Saine-Anne

District 4 - Saint John area

• Lower Norton Shore Road in Lower Norton.
• Beulah Camp Road in Browns Flat.
• Darlings Island Road in Darlings Island.
• Station Loop Road, from Route 100 to first house in Nauwigewauk.
• Route 850 from Erb's Cove to Whiting Lane.
• Route 850 from Upper Midland Road to Rogers Road.
• Brittain Road from route 177 to McKenzie road.
• Milkish Creek Road between civic # 125 to 142.
• McKenzie Road at Woodsman's Point.
• Sunset Valley Road at Woodsman's Point.
• West Tenants Cove Road in Springfield.
• Browns Cove Road near Kars.
• Elms Road in Kars, from Ferry Road to Route 705.
• Route 845, Moss Glen from Neck Road to Piper Town Road.
• Route 124 in Springfield from Route 710 to Route 695.
• Porter Road from Route 100 to Old Road.
• Route 102 closed from Grand Bay-Westfieldfor five km before the Evandale Ferry
• Route 745 at Beaconsfield Road, dirt section only.
• Route 850 fromKeirsteadville Road to Whiting's Lane.
• Route 850 from Route 124 to KeirsteadvilleRoad.
• Woodsman Point Road at Woodsman Pointfrom Civic 41 to road's end.
• Route 124 from Morolle Road to Valley Road.
• Lawrence Long Road.
• Dominion Park Road.
• Ferry Cover Road.
• Westfield Road at 1370.
• Mellinger Crescent at culvert.
• Greenhead Road at Randolph Bridge.
• PokiokRoad at
  Spar Cove Road.
• Ragged Point Road.
• KennebecasisPoint.
• Bravo Landing (Millidgeville)
• Beach Road.

District 2 - Miramichiarea

• Mullin Stream Road, 600 metres south of Gale Hill on gravel section.
• Bloomfield Ridge Road, one kilometre from chipseal on gravel section.

District 1 - Bathurst

• Mathilda Road in Middle River 150 metres from the Middle River Road.
• Mines Road from Route 430 to Nepisiquit Falls Road intersection.
• Gloucester Junction Road on the upper part of gravel section.

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