Flood Details - 2017-03-02 - 2017-03-02

High tides, mild temperatures and precipitation factored into the collapse of a section of Route 114 on the morning of March 2nd, closing the road to through traffic. The washout occurred five kilometers south of Riverview town limits, where Stoney Creek passes under the road through a culvert and runs into the Petitcodiac River. A large hole could be seen under the asphalt where the soil and gravel had washed away, leaving behind an unstable stretch of road unable to hold the weight of vehicles. Sections of guardrail were bent, and some wooden support posts were damaged. Traffic was re-routed to nearby Dawson and Niagara which is estimated to have added 15 to 20 minutes to the drive between Albert County and Moncton.

Environment Canada daytime highs: Moncton: 9.7°C on March 1st; 6.5°C on March 2nd. The daily average temperature for this time of year is -2.3°C.

Road crews were unable to immediately get near the site due to instability of the ground around the washout and the height of the water on the upstream side of the washout. The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure sent out a safety advisory on the afternoon of March 3rd, urging pedestrians not to walk in the area because of unstable ground. It was announced March 8th that an ambulance would be staged on the far side of the washout to respond to calls in Hillsborough, Alma, and rural Albert County while the detour remained in place. On March 9th, the Department of Transportation posted security guards and erected barricades to keep both vehicles and pedestrians off the unstable portion of roadway. On the evening of Friday, May 12th, a temporary bridge spanning the washout opened.