Unpassable section of Cape Breton highway frustrates business owner

A one-kilometre section of the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton that has been closed since Friday due to washouts is making daily life harder for the people and businesses who rely on it.

Parks Canada crews have been working to open one lane of traffic since the highway washed out on Fridayon the side of North Mountain in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

As of Tuesday afternoon, barricades remainedup at the park entrances in Pleasant Bay and Big Interval.

Because the highway is closed to vehicles, driversnow have to make a nearly four-hour detour, causingproblems for people trying to visit placesclose to the closure.

George Burton, owner of Maple Ridge Cabins in Dingwall, N.S., said the closure has not been good for business.

He said his all-season cabins were booked up over the weekend and all his guests made it, but not without hiccups.

"Some of them came as far as the North Mountain, and because the park had no signage up at the time, they ended up driving an extra three and a half hours," saidBurton.

Burton said clients visiting the cabins are finding the highway shutdown a nuisance. Some have had to cancel other plans they had booked for their trip.

"A lot of our clients that we get, they like to go skiing up on the top of the North Mountain. So now that [the road is] closed, they can't get up there," said Burton, adding that some clients tried going toNorth Highlands Nordic Ski Club instead, but they werebooked up.

Burton saidit's not only his business that is being affected, butanyone who lives nearthestretch of highway, since they are now forced to drive hours extra to get to some communities such asCheticamp for things like sports.

One lane toopen soon

Parks Canada has said they understand how difficult the closure is for the people living nearby.

"That's something that we really feel for the community members,"Robie Gourd, asset manager with Parks Canada, toldInformation Morning Cape Breton.

"We are concerned about the communities of Pleasant Bay and Cape North and everybody in the area. Trying to get through [the highway] has always been a challenge this time of year."

Although Parks Canada doesn't have an exact date for the road to be open,the timeline is clearer than it was only a few days ago.

Gourd said it will takeseven to 10 days of good weather to get the highway open to one lane of traffic.

"And that's something that's going to be ... one lane of traffic lights with cones and likely jersey barriers of some sort," said Gourd.

Gourd said the section will likely be down to one laneuntil the spring, whencrews willfinally be able to gettwo lanes open again.

He added work will still need to be done after the highway is open to figure out permanent solutions and ensure washouts do not happen again.

Parks Canada also said people cancheck road conditions by calling 511 or by visiting 511.gov.ns.ca.