Hawkins says province working on temporary fix for Port au Choix road

But the minister of Transportation and Works said there are many more Port au Choix’s out there and the province is doing what it can to address the issues with the resources it has and the financial situation it is in.

Unfortunately, for Port au Choix, that means a permanent fix is a ways off yet.
Hawkins said he’s been in contact with area MHA Christopher Mitchelmore and that Mitchelmore has relayed to the community that the province is trying to address the issue.
Hawkins said his department is now looking at some temporary options to fix the pothole-filled street. These will be undertaken as soon the weather allows.

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From dead seal to online vote, Main Street Port au Choix drawing attention to town

A longer-term fix would have to be addressed under the province’s five-year road plan, but Main Street Port au Choix is not included in that plan.

So, the department is looking at flexibility within the road plan that might enable it to do some one-off work on the road based on the severity of the situation.
The province will be doing some work in the area this summer and depending on how the tender prices come in there could be some money to do some work on Main Street.
As for frustrations in the area that have led to protests and having the road listed as one of the 10 worst in Atlantic Canada by the Canadian Automobile Association — it was at number 10 on Wednesday afternoon — Hawkins said he understands where the people are coming from.
“That does create a significant amount of emotional strain within a person and within a group,” he said.
He declined to comment on an act of protest that saw a dead seal placed in one of the potholes.
And as for the worst roads poll, Hawkins said “anytime that you promote stuff such as that there’s probably a degree of negativity that goes with that.”
When it comes to road concerns, Hawkins encourages people to participate in an online public consultation this fall to identify roads in their area that they feel need to be addressed.

Artist Ben Ploughman on hunger strike

PORT AU CHOIX
Port au Choix folk artist Ben Ploughman is on a hunger strike over the conditions of the town’s roads.
Ploughman sent a notice to a number of media organizations on Wednesday morning advising them that he was on Day 3 of his hunger strike.
In it he said his hunger strike is due to the fact his beautiful town has the worst roads in Atlantic Canada and no one in power seems to care.
He’s also protesting the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and was pictured at a protest by local fisherpeople on Tuesday carrying signs about his hunger strike and criticizing DFO.
Ploughman said he has 10 good reasons for his actions and is calling on Premier Dwight Ball to meet with him in Port au Choix.
Messages left for Ploughman were not returned on Wednesday afternoon.