Bridging the gap: New bridges reopen an alternate route across Newfoundland
Some people on Newfoundland's southwest coast are overjoyed that the province is replacing two bridges on old woods roads linking Buchans Junction to the Burgeo highway, reopening an old shortcut.
Peter Fenwick chairs the South West Coast Joint Council. He said the route restoration is being applauded by people who had used the route in the past, like himself.
"When we went from the west coast or south coast to St. John's, that would cut a hundred kilometres off the trip," Fenwick told CBC Radio's Central Morning on Friday.
People had used the shortcut for years, travelling down either the eastern side of Red Indian Lake through Millertown or the western side through Buchans, before travelling on to the Burgeo highway.
For several years, though, the route has been used less frequently, after two bridges near the bottom of the lake fell into disrepair.
Fenwick said the joint council had been pressing government to fix up the bridges for years, but had little hope it would happen quickly, given the province's dire financial straits.
Repairs 'totally unexpected'
Now Fenwick has learned from government that the new bridges were expected to be completed on Friday, and that leaves only a few washouts to be repaired before the route is passable again.
"We're about 90 per cent of the way towards having a good connection from say Burgeo to Badger really, depending on which side of the lake you want to go on," he said.
"That's great news from our perspective — totally unexpected — because in the spring the budget was so limited they didn't think they could do it but somehow they found a bit of money for it."
Fenwick said when the road repairs are completed, it will give motorists an alternate route across the island if the TCH shuts down.
The joint council is now looking at investing in signage and maps to help people navigate the route.
Fenwick said in the past the shorter route didn't mean less time travelling, but he said there are other reasons to travel it.
"Now mind you it wasn't a great road, so it took you approximately the same time, but it was different," he said.
"The scenery in central Newfoundland around Red Indian Lake is absolutely spectacular. It is some of the most beautiful scenery in the entire province."
