Officials rushed to secure hundreds of pylons and road signs, as the St. John River lapped the highway near Jemseg last spring, threatening a crucial transportation link. The closure of the Trans-Canada Highway between Oromocto and River Glade, now in place for a second year in a row, has officials with the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure discussing how to mitigate flooding around the busy stretch of road. While it's too early to say what those plans might look like, the Department of Transportation's director of operations acknowledged that a flood large enough to close the highway is no longer "unprecedented." "When this event happened last year, we were under the impression that this was a historical event," Ahmed Dassouki said. "Two years in a row, the historical event happened." The government has warned the highway could be shut down for several days, forcing drivers to take a 90-kilometre detour. Hundreds of pages of records from last year's spring flood reveal what goes into shutting down a busy highway, from finding enough signs to deliberating, painstakingly, over what the signs should say and where they should be placed. The records, obtained through right to information legislation, show how officials with Transportation Department and MRDC Operations Corp., the private company that manages that part of the highway, prepared in the days and hours leading up to the 2018 closure. Traffic collisions and 'abusive people' Before the decision was made to close the highway, MRDC prepared an "Emergency Operational Plan" to deal with flooding. It laid out the route for a detour — the same route in place this year — and who would be responsible for doing what. It warned that such a detour could pose risks to employees, including "traffic collisions" and "abusive persons suffering from event-related stress and anxiety." Ahmed Dassouki, director of operations with the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, says discussions are underway about how to mitigate future Trans-Canada Highway closures caused by flooding. (Shane Fowler/CBC) For the people responsible for keeping the highway safe, the crucial water level was 6.8 metres. "Based on our 2008 survey data, we estimate that floodwaters could enter the passing lane area when the water elevation at Jemseg reaches 6.8 metres," former MRDC general manager Norman Clouston wrote in an email to Transportation and Infrastructure staff last year. On May 2, the day before the call was made to close the highway, DTI staff started collecting signs and pylons. Gateway Operations, another private company that manages Route 1, emailed a list of the signs they could lend, including 12 "Water over road" signs and 100 orange candlesticks with weighted bases. But collecting enough signs was only half the battle. What should they say? They also had to determine the best locations to place the signs, so people would have enough warning, and to figure out the exact messaging. The messages had to be relayed in both French and English, and they had to be succinct to fit on the electronic variable message boards. They needed to figure out those messages as soon as possible, giving enough warning so signs could be put up at borders in Quebec, Maine, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. Some signs initially displayed "Expect delays," but after some discussion, were changed to "Detour in place." The official call was made just after noon last May 3, with plans to shut down the highway at 7 o'clock that night. The government told the public at its daily 2 p.m. EMO press briefing. Crews post road-closure signs on the Trans-Canada Highway in 2018. (Ed Hunter/CBC) If asked why the highway wasn't built higher, Dassouki was instructed to say the water levels were "unprecedented" and the focus was on "public safety and restoring transportation links as quickly as possible." Just before the decision was announced to the public, staff were told to gather information to send to then-minister Bill Fraser on whether sandbagging along the highway was a possibility. Clouston wrote that MRDC looked at "several options of both water retention/prevention and debris control" along Grand Lake Meadows, so the highway wouldn't have to close. But sandbagging wasn't practical. "If sandbagging efforts were deployed, we would need to create a wall or canal where the road would be lower than the surrounding water level and try to pump," Clouston wrote. "It was our opinion that we could not manage the inflow to maintain a dry road surface." Ultimately, the risk of drivers hydroplaning was too great, he said. Traffic travelled through a now-closed stretch of the the Trans-Canada Highway on Wednesday, before the barricades went up. (CBC) "If a situation evolved that a vehicle left the 'travelled' path, it could enter water depths that are significant," Clouston wrote. "Then recovery would be needed and access would be very limited … the risk is just too [great] to jeopardize public safety." Public patience 'getting thin' On the second full day of the closure, DTI staff shared photos of water spilling over both westbound lanes of traffic and over the driving lane eastbound. "Looks like the right call was made on Route 2," one staff member wrote. But the closure was taking its toll. At a May 6 meeting, a supervisor noted that Route 7 had "begun to have rapid deterioration due to the heavy truck traffic." Department of Transportation and Infrastructure staff shared photos of water covering the road on the Trans-Canada Highway in 2018, while this stretch of the highway was closed to the public. (Department of Transportation and Infrastructure) On top of that, the public's patience was "getting thin," minutes from another meeting showed. As the water began to subside, the recovery began. Crews had to remove debris from the highway and assess the damage, and to determine what effect stranded moose might have on plans to reopen. When MRDC staff inspected the road after the flood, they didn't find any stability issues. But they found erosion to the shoulder and foreslope areas in both east and westbound lanes, broken guardrails and wood debris. MRDC preparing for long cleanup The highway reopened to one lane of traffic each way on May 11, more than a week after the closure began. But the damage to the highway wouldn't be fully repaired for three and a half months. Al Giberson is preparing for the same kind of cleanup this year. "It doesn't look to be as bad but we really won't know until the water recedes completely," said Giberson, who replaced Clouston as MRDC's general manager. Both Giberson and Dassouki acknowledged things were going smoothly with the closure this year. They know where to find the signs and exactly what they should say. What they don't know is whether they'll be doing the same thing again next year. "Nobody controls the weather," Giberson said. "Nobody controls the river."<doc-sep>Send this page to someone via email Rising waters have reduced the Trans-Canada Highway to a single lane east of Fredericton, and officials say one portion of the key artery will be closed to traffic altogether Wednesday evening. As the swollen Saint John River rises in southern parts of New Brunswick, officials are warning residents of flood-prone areas to get out while they can. The Trans-Canada will be shut altogether between Oromocto and Riverglade as of 7 p.m. Wednesday. Thane Mallory says the picturesque water view out the back window is what keeps him going back every day to Gulliver’s World Cafe, his restaurant in Gagetown, N.B. “I wake up every morning and look out the back window and I say, that’s beautiful,” Mallory said Wednesday. “That love affair kind of ends this time of year when I look outside.” Story continues below advertisement The 1887-era building is normally about 20 metres from the water’s edge. On Wednesday, debris-filled flood water lapped against the building. “As far as the flood of the century – we’ve had two floods of the century in two years,” he said, standing on Gulliver’s back deck. WATCH: Saint John has now been at flood stage for three days and despite the fact water is threatening to cut off access to about 600 homes, residents are slow to evacuate. As Silas Brown reports, people say they prefer to remain in their homes. 1:52 Day three of flooding in Saint John threatens to cut off access to 600 homes Day three of flooding in Saint John threatens to cut off access to 600 homes – Apr 24, 2019 By mid-day Wednesday, water levels in the scenic summer tourist destination were about six inches below last year’s record levels, and continuing to rise. “Instead of using the word ‘rising,’ we’re using the word ‘jumped,’ because that’s what it has done this year. All of a sudden in less than 24 hours it’s up two feet, it’s up 39 inches, it’s up.” Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Instead of using the word 'rising,' we're using the word 'jumped,' because that's what it has done this year. All of a sudden in less than 24 hours it's up two feet, it's up 39 inches, it's up." Story continues below advertisement Mallory said he just wants the flood water to go away, but officials said Wednesday that river levels in Gagetown and further south along the Saint John River system were expected to continue to rise. “We are already seeing impacts from high water in communities all the way south to Saint John. The number of impacted properties and infrastructure will continue to increase,” New Brunswick EMO director Greg MacCallum said Wednesday afternoon. READ MORE: Flood levels continue to rise in parts of N.B., evacuations recommended for some Ahmed Dassouki of the Department of Transportation said he expected the closure would remain in place for at least a few days. MacCallum said he and Premier Blaine Higgs surveyed the flood zone Wednesday by helicopter, and saw a lot of damage. “In general it resembles very much the kind of things we saw last year,” he said. Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "In general it resembles very much the kind of things we saw last year," he said. Officials have warned residents of flood-prone areas to get out while they can. Late Monday, residents in parts of Saint John were given voluntary evacuation notice. WATCH: Heavy rains and rising water levels leave Quebec’s Sainte-Marie flooded 2:04 Heavy rains and rising water levels leave Quebec’s Sainte-Marie flooded Heavy rains and rising water levels leave Quebec’s Sainte-Marie flooded – Apr 24, 2019 The Saint John Emergency Measures Organization said water levels could reach 5.3 metres by Friday, and flooding and road closures could isolate some homes for five days or more. Story continues below advertisement The provincial government said its offices in downtown Fredericton were open for essential services only, as flood levels in the capital were back at last year’s levels. It said civil servants who are personally affected by the floods and “need to tend to their obligations” were not required to come to work. Many streets and parking lots in Fredericton remain under water, and city spokesman Wayne Tallon said a number of motorists had been fined for ignoring barricades. Across the province 126 roads have been impacted by the flood waters and 75 of them are now closed. Some 250 Canadian soldiers are assisting in the flood relief efforts. Lt-Col. Sean French said many are using military vehicles to help gain access to flooded areas, while others are helping to fill sandbags. Back in Gagetown, Marian Langhus is questioning if flood mitigation measures she took at her bed and breakfast after last year’s flooding will be enough this year. Damage from last year’s record flooding forced her to replace floors and walls at Lang House Bed and Breakfast. They also made changes to allow the water to drain back out. “Right now we don’t know if we were right or wrong in doing so. Hopefully when the water goes down we’ll see that we were right,” she said. Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Right now we don't know if we were right or wrong in doing so. Hopefully when the water goes down we'll see that we were right," she said. Story continues below advertisement READ MORE: NB EMO says water levels along parts of St. John River to peak Tuesday Despite the flooding, Langhus said she loves the community and has no plans to leave the home she was born in. “Eleven out of the 12 months of the year it is paradise. It is the most beautiful place. We love it,” she said. Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Eleven out of the 12 months of the year it is paradise. It is the most beautiful place. We love it," she said. “We are going to continue to do whatever we have to do to stay.”<doc-sep>
The New Brunswick government will close the Trans-Canada Highway between Oromocto and River Glade, southwest of Moncton, on Wednesday night to deal with flooding, forcing drivers to take a detour that will add 90 kilometres to their travels. The highway has already been reduced to one lane in some westbound sections near Jemseg because the St. John River is spilling onto the pavement. Water levels will continue to fluctuate in the Fredericton area over the next couple of days and will increase downriver, the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization said Wednesday afternoon. On Grand Lake, there is still a lot of ice in the water, and the wind could exacerbate damage to properties along the shore, said Greg MacCallum, the EMO director. Hundreds registered with Red Cross At least 490 people have been forced from their homes by flooding along the river, the Red Cross says. The number will continue to grow as more people downriver of Fredericton start to make plans to evacuate, said Bill Lawlor, provincial director of the Canadian Red Cross. Canada geese swim among tombstones at a cemetery in Maugerville. (Michel Corriveau/Radio-Canada) Lawlor said most of the 491 people registered with the Red Cross are from the Fredericton, Grand Lake and Jemseg areas, but Lawlor said the Red Cross is already seeing a few register in the Saint John and Grand-bay Westfield as well. Flood levels have dropped slightly in Fredericton, but the NBEMO is warning people to continue preparing for the worst. The water level hit a record 8.35 metres in Fredericton on Tuesday. Calls for patience Geoffrey Downey, an EMO spokesperson, said river levels were at about 8.25 metres on Wednesday morning in Fredericton. According to Environment Canada, Tuesday night's peak level was 8.364 metres in Fredericton at around 11 p.m. MacCallum asked people to remain patient. He said he understands patience can wear thin, but yelling at workers posted at barricades or engaging in road rage isn't helpful, Watch: How the 2019 New Brunswick flood looks CBC News 1:00 This is how the 2019 New Brunswick flood looks along the St. John River basin. 1:00 New Brunswickers will get through this, but it'll be "a lot easier if we show some care and compassion," he said. In Fredericton, 35 roads are still impacted by flooding, and many downtown surface parking lots are out of commission. Wayne Tallon, director of Fredericton's emergency measures organization, said ramps onto the Westmorland Street Bridge are still underwater. Tallon also said the city has placed police officers at barricades to prevent people from driving past or moving them. A Fredericton man tends to a water pump by hanging out his window. (Shane Fowler/CBC) "People weren't respecting them, so those enforcements have been increased and now we are fining people." Tallon said Fredericton police have given two tickets to people going around barricades. He urged residents to respect barricades. The minimum fine for ignoring or moving a barricade is $172.50. "What they don't understand is if they are travelling at a certain speed, it creates wake, and wake obviously can cause damage to basement windows and property." The city also asked drivers who commute home from the east end to take Queen Street, and those who travel from the west end to take Westmorland Street. Evacuation recommended Blair Sullivan, a Fredericton fire platoon captain, said the department responded to about 30 calls for assistance on Tuesday and overnight. Most of them were from the lower St. Mary's and Lincoln areas and people looking for help moving themselves and their personal belongings out of their homes. First responders have been assisting with emergency evacuations since Tuesday, as rising water levels have forced people to leave their homes. (Shane Fowler/CBC) Sullivan said there are two command posts set up: at the Fort Naskwaak Motel on the north side of the river, and on Glasier Road in the Lincoln area. Nine people staff those two areas and evacuation operations were continuing on Wednesday morning. "Nothing out of the ordinary for flood season." Oromocto Fire Department Chief Jody Price said water levels in the town rose by about 10 cm overnight. Tuesday was an extremely busy day for evacuations and wellness checks, he said, and windy conditions forced the department to pull some smaller boats off the river. Here's a list of essentials for your flood kit CBC News 0:47 EMO's Geoffrey Downey lists what a 72-hour flood kit should contain and why.