The Cabot Trail Potholes

Messages from residents along the Cabot Trail

Adam Shore  (July 20th 2023)

 I filed ticket #S1370100 with Public Works on June 28 citing numerous violations of E Type road specifications. The ticket was CCd to Steve MacDonald and guess what - completely ignored. The province should be ashamed of itself and based on numerous remediation efforts and projects which have cost tax payers millions over the years have been delivered below par and not to any reasonable specification. There should be a major law suit against the department of public works as serious dollars are being spent on sub par fixes because nobody approving the work actually knows better. The letter I sent is below. Only Councillor Longva has responded. It's been emailed directly to the MLA, Steve MacDonald and the councillor.

Dear Councilor Longva, MLA Keith Bain and Steve MacDonald (Area Manager for Nova Scotia Public Works), Councilor Longva, thank you for including me on this email thread. As a resident and business owner in the area, I am quite concerned about the level of quality, sustainability and perhaps most importantly: safety in reference to remediation work recently performed along the Cabot Trail South of Smokey. The most recent work involved remediation to the gravel road shoulder. Remediation was done using a black/grey aggregate which is very high in asphalt chunks (some over 2") and was not graded or compacted. Much of it has ended up spread on the asphalt road/shoulder as well, and It has created an incredible safety issue for motorcyclists, bicyclists and even cars/trucks. Since the initial installation included not sweeping the poorly placed aggregate off of the asphalt road bed - much of it in many is gravitating onto the road itself. In some places around turns. Besides braking and regular safety issues, this is also creating situations where vehicles are being damaged by flying stones and debris. Almost everywhere this new aggregate is installed - where the aggregate meets the ditch, the installation has created what is essentially a berm to keep the water from going into the ditch without taking materials with it. Another situation which will end up taking more resources to yet again re-do the same work. None of this work is in compliance with the Nova Scotia Design Guide for Highways and Roads. At this time as a citizen I am looking to better understand the quality control, and installation decision process happening - especially when it comes to the condition of the world famous Cabot Trail. Is this work being performed by private contractors, or public works? If it's private contractors I am asking to see the RFP awarded for the work recently awarded for this work South of Smokey. If it is being done by public works, I am asking to be part of the conversation and understanding of how we can use the same resources to realize quality / sustainable solutions. How does the process work, and who signs off on the completed work? This section of road being E class, we have a very dramatic discrepancy between the design standard for this class of road shoulder. Some cases the literal use of 0.0-0.2 is definitely pushing the limits of design and safety. Those numbers are designed for AADT (Average Annual Daily Traffic) > 5000 where I know peak tourism season is more like 8000-12000 and growing (based on Cape Smokey measured data) and we are entertaining and advertising the Cabot Trail as a world-class road cycling destination. In most places I would very seriously question the usable shoulder width. If it's there, it's likely 40-90cm deep in weeds and alders blocking any driver from being able to safely discern where the safe edge of the shoulder is. I would be surprised if much of the area we are discussing has 2m usable shoulder and with the newly installed berm, the shoulder rounding is non-existent along with effective drainage. Grading and compaction of the road shoulder will help return the road to close(r) to specification, and help to insure a much safer tourism season here along the world famous Cabot Trail. I am asking that this poor installation please be remediated by properly grading and compacting the newly placed aggregate. Should we encounter another rain event of any substance, it is inevitable that these repaired areas will erode even more than they were originally. As a final point in discussion, I am questioning the use of this particular aggregate as it is largely recycled asphalt chunks. When not compacted, this highly chemical based aggregate loaded with chemicals is now rolling freely through folks' water systems etc. It's bad enough if we have to accept this as our aggregate of choice when there are multiple quarries right here with the right materials. Furthermore if there is opportunity to be part of any on-site visit or subsequent conversation, I am asking to be included in anything I am as a citizen privy to being part of. Thank you sincerely for your attention to this matter, and hopefully continued conversation.

Wendy MacLeod  (July 20th 2023)

 I was looking at the 5 year highway construction plan and we here in Northern Cape Breton have been taken off it AGAIN. This is the 4th, 5th time now? I’ve honestly lost track. We were originally on it to have the section of the “World Famous Cabot Trail” here in Victoria County from Effie’s Brook in South Harbour to the bottom of the North Mountain in Big Intervale repaved but then the big guys said NO and then it was posted in the 5 year construction plan online that it would be repaved from Effie’s Brook to the intersection at the top of the Cape North hill with work starting this Spring. Well guess what? It’s not in the construction plan now. This is not acceptable. The roads here are beyond terrible and with all of the heavy tourist traffic every year the roads keep getting worse. There are so many ruts, holes, dips and sections with no pavement at all. Locals are having their vehicles damaged daily but have no choice but to drive on the roads. I have had tourists say to me that if they had known what the roads were like here they would have rented a vehicle and not driven their own. It’s very dangerous for people on motorcycles and bicycles and it also really slows down the response time of our emergency vehicles. We have to start making noise if we want anything to get done. We deserve to have safe, reliable roads.

Beth (July 20th 2023)

I’ve been driving in that highway for over 40 years. From the top of Smokey to the head of Ingonish harbour is not only deplorable but downright dangerous!

George (July 20th 2023)

 I busted a brand new tire and rims in a bad pothole on cape north hill ,,when I filled out a claim form they denied it because they was no reports of road problems in our area ......lol

Harvey  ( July 20th 2023)

The highway budget is for the mainland of NS , not for Cape Breton. When they last paved from the North mountain to Cheticamp paid by Parks Canada they wreak the roads in the Cheticamp area. The federal government should be responsible to repair their damage. I believe tourism NS forgot how important this beautiful part of Canada is. At the federal level they lost contact with our voter when it comes to tourism.

Anon  (July 21st 2023)

: There is a 10 kilometer stretch around the Lake o law area that is atrocious. 5 years ago I broke 2 springs on my trailer which cost me 800.00 to fix.Unfortunately after 5 years sadly it's the same as it was back then.I find it hard to believe that a world famous stretch of road is left in this deplorable condition especially when businesses on the Cabot Trail are depending on tourism for their existence.

Trish (September 9th 2023)

We just drove the Cabot Trail and it is awful how the government refuses not to fix these potholes; considering tax payers money goes to Halifax . Common sense is plenty of people come to travel through the Cabot trail and bring money into Cape Breton; so it logical to fix the Cabot Trail to bring in more visitors to help with the economy!

The Cabot Trail

The Cabot Trail is supposed to be the jewel in Cape Breton's  crown, then why do descriptions like this seem to resonate so strongly with the residents around the trail.

" The Cabot Trail is a series of holes held together by strings of asphalt"

We as residents and business owners are getting sick and tired of idle promises, so maybe this page will set the ball rolling and our elected officials will get off their arse and do something about it, as it is clearly affecting business around the trail.

Potholes

Potholes are the bane of motorists life, the Cabot Trail is no different in it's needs than any other road, but when the province touts the road as the jewel in their crown, some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, for the motorist and cyclists it is not only dangerous but also costly with wheel alignments, flat tires and suspensions going to their grave at an early life.

Our guest are continually commenting on how great the scenery is but a shame the authorities don't pay more attention to the Cabot Trail's up keep, at the rate they cold patch the trail I do believe they can say the trail has been refinished in cold patching.

We (Nova Scotia government) have just spent $6.4 Million dollars of our money on the sea wall trail, hoping that visitors can get to their destination at Meat Cove without losing a wheel or further damage to their vehicle, so it's not only the Cabot Trail that is suffering from mismanagement but all rural routes, so if the government is keen to get the tourism dollars, please spend money appropriately in areas that are in desperate need of financing.

Soft Shoulders

This is a misnomer as it should be called "No Shoulder", all it takes is a big rain fall and the shoulder disappears into the culvert, this makes walking extremely dangerous for the pedestrian and the motorists alike, the shoulder then stays like this for years and gets progressively worse as rain falls occur, thus causing driveways to deteriorate at the cost of the home/business owner.

Purpose of this page

The main purpose of this page is to show the provincial government that we care about our region, our work and our lifestyle.

Highlighting the Cabot Trail road conditions is done on purpose as this is the main tourism draw to Cape Breton, so if the only way we can get action is by shaming them , then so be it.

So send me your photo's of the trail and I will post them to this site and hopefully the powers to be are watching. Please add where the photo was taken on the trail      Send Here