KC Jordan, LJI Reporter

Two roads in Luskville were washed out as a result of Monday afternoon’s thunderstorm, causing disruptions to local residents.
One wash-out occurred on rue Thérien, just north of Highway 148; the other on chemin Parker, on the south side of the 148 almost directly across the road.
Mario Allen, director general of the Municipality of Pontiac, said the water level in the stream flowing underneath rue Thérien got too high, overwhelming the culvert that runs underneath and taking out the road completely.
“The culvert wouldn’t take it, and now the road is gone.” he said.
Allen said this isn’t the first time this road has been washed out, noting that in 2017 a heavy rainfall took out parts of Highway 148 and some of its adjoining roads, including rue Thérien.
He said the stream’s water level normally runs pretty high in the spring months due to runoff from the mountains, but the level is not normally so high so late in the season.
Workers from the municipality responded to the scene on Tuesday, creating large sand hills to prevent people from trying to travel on the road.
Residents of rue Thérien ordinarily don’t have an alternative exit, but the municipality created a makeshift detour onto the property of Nugent Construction so that residents could enter and leave.
“Council met those people last Friday and they are all aware of the situation,” Allen said.
He noted the municipality already had plans for an eventual detour through Nugent Construction’s property because the culvert had already been slated for work.
“We were expecting to do the work probably this fall to change the culvert, and in order to change the culvert, well, people will need a detour.”

He said they were able to provide an alternative solution for residents of rue Thérien much faster thanks to these already-existing detour plans.
He said the municipality needs to contact the provincial environment ministry before any work can be done to repair the culvert and the road.
“Approval must be obtained from the Quebec government first,” he said, adding at that point they “will go for tenders and then will proceed.”
He said he is not sure how long the process will take, but said it could be until the fall before they are able to get approvals for the work.
The other wash-out happened on chemin Parker, on the opposite side of Highway 148 from rue Thérien.
“When the water went over the road it created erosion, and the next morning we went in and fixed the erosion,” Allen said.
No detour was needed because the residents of the four houses on Parker were able to use the chemin Mckibbon to get in and out.
Municipal workers fixed the road, and people were able to drive on it by Wednesday morning.
Road wash-outs have been a problem this year not only in Luskville, but in the MRC Pontiac.
Heavy rains this spring and summer have caused seven wash-outs on a single road, Jim’s Lake Rd, which runs from Mansfield all the way up to Jim Lake.
MRC Pontiac warden Jane Toller said these washouts are impacting residents as well as some businesses, including Bryson Lake Lodge, some of whose cottages are currently inaccessible due to the washouts.
She said the MRC is working toward finding solutions for these washouts, which are located far apart from each other and will require separate solutions.
For the moment, she says the alternative routes that exist are either costly or cumbersome.
“It’s possible for them to take some of these people by water, but it’s at a cost to them.”
“There are some other roads that can be used in the meantime, but they are very rough and
[ . . . ] not well-maintained. They are more suited for ATVs.”
Toller will be in talks with various government entities as she tries to secure funding for these projects.
“Sometimes things occur that are unexpected and are climate-related. We will do everything possible to try to remedy the situation.”