Residents concerned about Upper Clyde Road
People have been complaining for years, but little has been done, resident says
Even though the weather is warm and dry this time of year, residents of Upper Clyde Road near Shelburne are worrying about next spring.
Each spring the road to about 50 residents or 25 houses becomes impassable as the road thaws out from the winter and becomes thick with mud and ruts.
Some work, including grading, was done to the road on Aug. 14, but resident Ernest Townsend said that won’t last.
“That road hasn’t been touched in years except to grade some parts,” said Townsend.
He said the Department of Transportation was working to fix up some parts of the Upper Clyde Road by Briar Hill Road.
“Everywhere there it’s perfectly patched up with a new topping but no one lives there,” he said.
He said residents of the area on the Upper Clyde Road across from Island Park and past the paved section have been complaining to the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal for years without action being taken.
Townsend said out of the 25 households, 23 of the families are working and need to travel every day. He said even when the road is at its worst there are essential service workers – including those who work with Roseway Manor – that have no choice but to tackle it.
Last spring Townsend looked out his window during a storm and saw that the power lines had come down and were live across the road.
He immediately called 911, knowing there were going to be people coming home or heading to work.
“They said police were on their way ASAP,” said Townsend.
It was 11:30 at night when he made the call and at midnight he received a call from the responding member that the road to the power line was impassable by cruiser.
Townsend said he knew the worry behind not being able to access emergency services when the road is at its worst and it is troubling when he thinks of his neighbours, including one in need of oxygen.
“If they don’t do something, we are going to be in the same situation next spring as we were last spring,” said Townsend.
He said the community has grown from a cottage community over the years where residents have been transforming what was once their camp into permanent residences.
“I guess we are second-class citizens,” he said. “I just hate fighting for things that everyone just gets without question…we just want our road fixed.”
Bruce Nunn, a representative for the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, said the government has invested $10 million in gravel roads this year with an additional $60 million over the next 3 years.
“The Upper Clyde Road is being evaluated to assess if it meets the criteria to be included in the program,” said Nunn.
He said there isn’t enough money to upgrade all the roads.
“There are many, many roads like that in Nova Scotia,” he said.