Port aux Basques mayor urges patience as work continues to repair major road washouts
The mayor of Channel-Port aux Basques is urging patience as construction continues to repair roads after record rainfall caused washouts and isolated the community earlier this week.
Brian Button says four major washouts along the Trans-Canada Highway won't make it easy to reconnect the town with the rest of Newfoundland.
"It's a monumental task to try to get these fixed up in a timely manner," he said.
In a news release, the provincial Department of Transportation and Infrastructure said the last sections of culverts are being installed and backfilled on Saturday at the washout on the highway at Overfalls Brook.
That work will allow additional equipment and materials to be brought further west down the highway to begin the installation of culverts at the washout near the Port aux Basques weigh scales, the department said.
All washouts in the Codroy Valley have also been assessed and temporary roads have been created to reconnect those communities.
In the meantime, helicopters have been used to help bring essential items into Port aux Basques and transport residents out to communities like Stephenville and Deer Lake, which are not affected by the washouts.
Many residents are waiting on those helicopters, Button said — and bad weather on Saturday means they'll have to wait a little longer.
"I know it's been very frustrating for some people that are still waiting and trying to get back home or might have been away now for a bit, and I feel their frustration," he said.
Button said some area residents have opted to bypass the highway by taking the T'Railway on ATVs — but with a number of reported washouts on the rail bed, he said he's advising against it.
Button said the military has also been called in to help out with roadwork, traffic flow and air services.
"So through it all, it's great to know that [the help] is there," he said.
The Canadian Armed Forces said it a statement to CBC News that it has a team working with the provincial government to determine what kind of help is needed. A helicopter crew has also been called in.
A spokesperson said support will be provided for 21 days, with the possibility of extension if needed, and more information on military support will become available in the next day or two.
'Triangle route' established
Marine Atlantic has also re-opened its Argentia route to ensure essential goods make it to their destinations.
"It's been a long week," said Marine Atlantic spokesperson Darrell Mercer.
Marine Atlantic's temporary "triangle route" between Channel-Port aux Basques, Argentia and North Sydney, N.S. is operating on a reduced schedule with limited capacity. That means goods will be in shorter-than-usual supply, Mercer said, and will take longer to arrive.
"The challenge we have is normally the Port aux Basques-North Sydney crossing is six to seven hours," Mercer said.
"When we look at North Sydney to Argentia, it's closer to 16 to 17 hours, so we simply can't do as many crossings in the same amount of time."
About 215 commercial units are awaiting a ferry to Newfoundland as of Saturday morning, Mercer said. A run on Saturday will take about a quarter of them.
"It's an emergency situation and we're trying to ship as much essential product as we can as quickly as we can," he said.
"But every time we depart with it with a load of commercial [vehicles], there's more arriving at the terminal in North Sydney."
Mercer said the service is prioritizing essential goods, "such as produce for the stores, medical supplies, the oxygen for the hospitals, the propane, the gas."
Button said, so far, fuel, food and other essential goods have managed to make it to their destinations. But he cautions that the limited provisions should be used sparingly and prioritized for those who need them most.
"We need to focus on the people that live in the other communities outside of us that might be traveling for work and coming into the community," he said. "They're the ones that need the gas most."
Volunteers step up
With a number of truck drivers stranded in their vehicles waiting for the ferry at Argentia, a group of volunteers has stepped up to help.
Tracey Duke-Mulrooney and her husband spent Friday night making about 100 sandwiches and hand-delivering them to the drivers lined up outside the Marine Atlantic terminal, where no food services are available.
"They [were] absolutely gobsmacked," said Duke-Mulrooney. "They don't understand why people are being so good to them."
Duke-Mulrooney said she only has one answer for that.
"That's who we are in the Placentia area. If there is a need, we fill it."
Truck drivers received bags with water, fresh fruit, snacks and more, and the local Mary Brown's prepared a number of sandwiches. Duke-Mulrooney said financial donations are still rolling in, which will be helpful in the days to come.
She said she spoke with some drivers who had been sitting in the lineup for two days.
