Crews working to restore bridges, roads damaged by storm

The province says 80 per cent of the estimated 200 roads washed out in the Saint John region by heavy rain Sept.30are once again passable.

The province continues toassessthe damagecaused by last week's storm.

AlanKerr, district engineer for the Saint John region of the transportation departmentsays, "It is still too early at this stage to put a cost on those damages."

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Many of therepairs are temporary to restore access to roads, he said. Bailey bridges are spanning some of these areas in an effortto get traffic moving.

To get a better view of some of theproblems, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure is using aerial drones.

Kerr says about 130 people are working on repairs.

"On Mondayalone there were about 50 individualworksites. We also have the help of approximately 40 private contractors as we make repairs to our infrastructure."

DonnieBriggs has been watching theprogress in the area.With only a dirt road to get to the Evandale Ferry on the other side of thewashout near his home,he's hoping for a speedy fix.

"Hopefully they can get this other one up here opened, because it would be a lot easier for us to use the main highways instead of our dirt road inthe winter."

The transportation department says crews have worked continuously "though daylight hours since last week's storm and some crews will continue to work this weekend to ensure the safety of the travelling public."