Road to separation: Labrador mayor says joining Quebec an option if Route 510 not fixed

The mayor of a town in southern Labrador says road conditions are so bad, he wants to redraw the Quebec-Labradorborder because pleas to his ownprovincial government are going unanswered.

"For me to say that this road is in a deplorable state would be an understatement right now. It's an accident waiting to happen and there is nobody listening to us," said L'Anse au Loup Mayor Hedley Ryland.

"[Government officials say to me] 'Hedley, we've got a five-year plan in place.' Five-year plan no good to us when there's somebody up there laying on that pavement."

Route 510 is a myriad of potholes, uneven pavement and other hazards that have drivers "zig-zagging" the entire stretch or using the shoulder of the road, according to Ryland.

"Particularly from L'Anse au Clairto Pinware, you're seeing vehicles off on the side of the road with flats and blowouts ... We are too frightened to get on the road," he told CBC Radio's Corner Brook Morning Show Wednesday.

'What else can we do?'

Ryland said he feels he's been placated by Newfoundland and Labrador government officials to a point where actionis required albeit a drastic and potentially time-consuming move.

"We're in the process right now of setting up some formal demonstration. We can probably take that demonstration and go to Quebec and lobby the government to try to move the border or start the road to separation [from Newfoundland]," he said.

"What else can we do? Nobody listens to us."

The department of transportation says Route 510 is on its radar and several related projects are already underway.

"We recognize and appreciate the concerns from residents," the department wrote ina statement to CBC News on Wednesday.

A $936,000 contract for paving in Forteau has been awarded, in addition to a continuation of a project in West St. Modeste that began last year valued at $750,000.

"We might get six kilometres out of that," Rylandsaid, adding that the problem didn't happen overnight.

"Last year, the department of highways put 19 tractor trailer loads of cold patch on that road ... but they can't keep up," he said.

Rylandsaid the protest will likely take place next week and in the meantime, he hopes drivers stay safe.

"We are frustrated, we don't know what to do next," he said.

"As a so-called leader in coastal Labrador I want to hang my head in shame ... because of the state of the highway. It's absolutelya state."