A gravel highway that provides the only road link to northern Manitoba communities Split Lake and Gillam is currently sitting in top spot in CAA Manitoba’s annual list of the province’s worst roads.
PR 280, which runs northeast from PR 391 and was blockaded by members of Tataskweyak Cree Nation at Split Lake demanding repairs and improvements last August, has knocked Winnipeg’s St. James Street out of top spot for the first time since 2013 midway through the four-week-long online campaign, which has received more than 3,000 votes for 400 different roads in Manitoba so far.
“Looking at some of the pictures and videos sent to us from Manitobans, it’s no wonder why this road is in the top spot,” says Angèle Young, public and government affairs specialist for CAA Manitoba. “Hundreds of people have joined the conversation about this road and the desperate need to get it fixed, as it is a lifeline for many.”
Horror stories shared by users of the highway on CAA Manitoba’s Facebook page tell tales of washouts, stone chips and muddy conditions that are even difficult for four-wheel drive vehicles. As the only road linking Thompson to Split Lake and Manitoba Hydro’s Keeyask Generating station project, PR 280 is used heavily by large trucks as well as passenger vehicles.
Votes for the province’s worst road are being accepted until April 22 at www.caamanitoba.com/worstroads, which also includes photos of some of the top 10 contenders, six of which are in Winnipeg. Voters can only vote for a road once but can vote for as many roads as they’d like.
– Thompson Citizen
