Detours, detours and more detours
It seems that the summer road-work season is upon us. Winter plowing and spring pot hole patching are but distant memories as we head into the dog days of infrastructure. For the next three or four months it will be an endless game of “Where’s Waldo?” but instead of seeking out the colourfully dressed character of children’s books the search is on to locate and avoid the dreaded detour sign.
As it stands, bridges are closing and roads are being ripped out. There is paving activity in all directions and pipe lines to be repaired. Your GPS is useless and a safe route across town depends entirely on the anecdotal evidence of those who survived a trip to the Carrefour and lived to tell the tale. But never fear, as usual, mindful of my role as the go-to font of lifestyle information, and with an apology to Condé Nast, I give you Belford’s Travel Guide to Greater Sherbrooke.
To begin with the Joffre bridge on Galt St. has been reduced to one lane. Avoid if possible. If you intend to use it to access St. Francis St. forget about it since Bown St. is closed until the Joffre bridge is down to one lane in the other direction. When the Joffre bridge is reopened in July work will immediately begin on the Aylmer bridge on King St. on the theory that too many bridges can never be a good thing.
Speaking of bridges, the Massawippi bridge leading to Bishop’s University will be reduced to one lane until early July and then closed entirely until mid August just in time for the return of the students and the resultant traffic jams we have come to know and love. For those wishing to access Fleurimont, Cookshire or Gould the Joffre bridge will be your best option, providing Queen St. in Lennoxville is open. (Note: scattered repairs to sidewalks, sewer lines, hydro connections and potholes will make this unlikely except between the hours of 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.)
For those residents of the borough of Lennoxville including, Huntingville and Viewpoint, access to the St. Francis bridge and the north side of the St. Francis river can be attempted via Winder St. and Glenday Road. It should be noted, however, that Winder St, may or may not be under construction depending on the whim of unionized paving crews. Glenday Road will also be temporarily reduced from a two-lane, badly paved goat track to a one-lane gravel road in anticipation of the arrival of highway 410 sometime in 2025.
Residents of the Borough of Lennoxville can reduce stress levels and travel inconveniences by following a few simple rules suggested by the City of Sherbrooke:
1.Do not leave your immediate neighbourhood for anything other than grocery shopping or medical emergencies .(In the latter case, under no circumstances attempt to get to the Hotel Dieu on Bowen St.)
2. Obtain and read the free booklet available at the borough office: “A Short Guide to Interpreting and Understanding Flag and Hand Signals at Road Construction Sites.”
3. Always carry a three-hour supply of drinking water in your vehicle and assorted snacks in case of lengthy delays.
4. Never attempt, even with local knowledge, to take a short cut on a posted detour since you may run into unannounced auxiliary work sites.
5. Under no circumstance abandon your vehicle at a “road closed” barricade hoping to park there for the night.
So there it is. The only saving grace in all of this is that we could be living in Montreal.