Residents in two communities in southwestern Manitoba are expressing frustration over hazardous road conditions caused by extensive damage and missing sections of pavement.
Highway 41, located in the rural municipality of Ellice-Archie northwest of Brandon, connects McAuley, St-Lazare, and Binscarth, running from the Trans-Canada Highway to the Yellowhead Highway.
Ellice-Archie Reeve Barry Lowes described the road as extremely dangerous, citing an incident where he damaged his truck’s rim near McAuley while driving to his granddaughter’s graduation in June.
The road issues date back a decade, according to Lowes, with flooding in 2011 and 2014 submerging several sections of the highway. Despite the long-standing problems, the road remains heavily used by farmers, truckers, and campers.
Lowes highlighted the numerous potholes and deteriorating pavement along the highway, with some areas showing gaping holes in the center and missing chunks on the shoulders marked by pink and white paint.
A particular segment about 15 kilometers south of McAuley displays broken pavement and holes in both lanes, prompting drivers to maneuver around the hazards onto the gravel shoulders, further deteriorating the road.
Lowes has persistently urged the government to repave the road, engaging with Manitoba Transportation Minister Lisa Naylor during her visit to the rural municipality in the spring, but without receiving definitive answers.
Naylor mentioned ongoing maintenance work on the highway this week, addressing urgent safety concerns while planning repairs for various locations in the coming months.
In St-Lazare, business owner Dolores Fouillard expressed concerns about the temporary fixes, calling for a comprehensive overhaul of the entire road instead of short-term solutions like patching.
With increasing traffic on the highway, especially from workers commuting to a nearby potash mine in Rocanville, Saskatchewan, Fouillard emphasized the urgent need for substantial improvements to ensure safety for all road users.
As the upcoming school year approaches, Fouillard voiced worries about the safety of children riding the school bus daily, emphasizing the high volume of commercial and industrial traffic on the road, posing significant risks without immediate action.