Last year, the Foxbrook Road in Hopewell was number 4 on the list of the top 10 worst roads in Atlantic Canada and is back again this year in third place.
The list is compiled by the Canadian Automobile Association as part of its online voting for the worst roads contest. Other Pictou County roads on the list include Mark Road, Eureka, Marshdale Road in Hopewell, East River West Side Road in Eureka, Elgin Road in Hopewell and the River Road in Eureka.
The second CAA Atlantic Worst Roads campaign attracted 3,199 votes to identify the worst roads through a web-based voting platform. Voters could only vote for one road on one occasion.
“You are taking your life in your hands travelling this road,” said Lori Dewer. “I have a big crack in my windshield because of it. I was coming home from work and I couldn’t avoid a pothole because something was coming towards me. Now there is a six-inch crater in my windshield.”
She said the crack wasn’t caused by something chipping her windshield, but rather by the jarring of the vehicle.
District 12 councillor Chester Dewer said residents in the area are making constant repairs to their vehicles because of the poor road conditions. He said his top list of the worst roads in the area include the Marshdale Road, Elgin Road, Glengarry Road, Foxbrook Road and Mark Road.
As councillor he will listen to people’s complaints, but he is quick to point them in the direction of their MLA.
“The (transportation) employees are terrific and they can only do so much,” he said. “The money has to come from the province.”
John Currie agrees that roads are “badly breaking up” in the Hopewell area and the Department of Transportation’s attempts to cold patch some potholes isn’t helping the situation very much.
“The trucks travel on some of the roads here and they beat it all up,” he said.
Betty Dwyer said she is unable to take her horse trailer out on the Elgin Road because it is in such poor condition.
“It’s down right embarrassing,” she said. “We have a beautiful country and we are not able to get in a vehicle and see it. There is no need of it.”
Dwyer said she gave up complaining about the condition of the roads, because it hasn’t gotten residents any closer to getting the proper repairs done.
According the CAA, the campaign helps to put a real focus on problem and dangerous road conditions in the region.
“By doing so we can actively engage all necessary levels of government to encourage repairs and changes,” said Gary Howard of CAA. “Last year’s campaign was very successful. To the credit of our four provincial governments, of the top 20 worst roads from 2011, 14 were repaired or are in the process of being repaired. Your government is listening to you.”
When Foxbrook Road in Hopewell placed fourth last, the CAA reported that maintenance repairs were carried out that included routine pavement patching with cold mix asphalt, as well as isolated patching of potholes and severe surface defects with hot mix asphalt concrete.
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