Tires blown getting to Scott’s Bay
But there’s an end in sight
Drivers heading to Scott’s Bay during the past month have had their challenges, but re- pavement is underway.
A straw poll picked up about 20 vehicle owners who’d suffered flat tires, some multiple times, and five whose windshields were impacted.
The Highway 358 project is a $2.7 million, 8.9 km repaving from Stewart Mountain Road to the Cape Split Road.
The completion date is for Sept. 30 with the actual repaving started late last week, according to Transportation Infrastructure Renewal spokesman Brian Taylor.
“The treatment for this section of road was not just repaving, but placing a gravel interlayer over the existing asphalt first,” Taylor indicated.
“We know this has created a temporary rough surface for drivers, but this was a necessary step in the process. Once the project is complete, the community will have a brand new road that will last for years to come.”
The roadwork began in early August. One young mother, who asked not to be named, noted that her biggest worry has been the dust and the speed, with the amount of traffic into the Bay.
“On the holiday weekend, when we left the Bay, it was an apocalyptic scene, a person walking their dog, in a whiteout of dust, they would completely disappear and reappear. We were slowly driving out, third behind a car and a truck, and we were passed by a truck, on the blind crest of a hill. Saw the brake lights from the vehicle in front of us, as the passing truck whipped back in to avoid a head- on with an SUV that was speeding into the Bay, before immediately pulling out to pass the lead car, leaving everyone in a cloud of dust.”
The family has had one flat tire and a grandmother, who was coming to babysit, had two. Another Scott’s Bay resident, Natalie Bowman, who contacted Kings County News, said her sister has suffered six flat tires.
“I imagine there are countless tourists also experiencing flats and blowouts leaving them with a negative experience,” Bowman added.
Back in August, Jerry Huntley, who manages the Scott’s Bay Facebook page, warned visitors coming to the area about driving conditions.
He said be prepared for the gravel conditions, reduce your speed, keep a good distance between you and other vehicles.
On Sept. 14, Huntley said the gravel placed on top of the old pavement was very sharp.
“I saw two people changing tires at The Haze Restaurant yesterday. The traffic seems to loosen the gravel up again.”
Huntley also said the dust created during this dry summer was problematic when traffic met.
“I imagine it was a crap shoot for people going to work. People have no idea about the amount of traffic we have. It’s been a nightmare. But I guess that’s the price you have to pay to have a new road.”
It’s been about three decades since the last repaving work was completed on that section of Highway 358.
Scott’s Bay residents may be able to recover some of the costs of flat tires and cracked windshield.
Contractors have liability insurance to cover any damages that may have been caused by a project, says Transportation Infrastructure Renewal spokesman Brian Taylor.
“Anyone that feels they have a claim can submit it into the contractors claims department and their insurance group would investigate.”
Kings North MLA John Lohr pointed out there have been two issues throughout the roadwork.
“First, the dust has been incredibly bad by times. Labour Day weekend Dexter’s didn’t have a water truck wetting the road,” Lohr said. “There was a lot of traffic that weekend. I drove through and you couldn’t see the vehicle 30 meters in front of you.”
“Some people with breathing issues were really affected by it,” Lohr stated on Sept. 13. “We now have Dexter’s being more diligent on watering for dust.”
The second issue is the flat tires, Lohr said. He has heard from a number of constituents.
“Dexter’s is creating a sandwich with eight to 12 inches of gravel and then new asphalt over top of the existing road. They say it makes a very strong road, which is good news. The bad news is the gravel needs to be packed down by us driving on the road.”
Dexter Construction is one of the largest heavy civil contractors in Eastern Canada. Its corporate headquarters is in Bedford.