Why Island drivers are facing a bumpy ride on the Cornwall bypass
'Our roads raise as the ground freezes'
Islanders using Cornwall's new bypass may have noticed the road is a bit bumpy and uneven just months after it was opened.
Officials with the Department of Transportation say while some sections of the road have become wavy and uneven, that's exactly what was anticipated for the winter months.
The $58 million bypass was opened in October.
"There's a few areas that are rough. There's just a bit of distortion in the pavement. It's bumped up," said Stephen Yeo, chief engineer with the department.
Yeo said there's no need for concern.
Wavy and uneven road conditions are a typical problem in the first year after a road is opened.
"Where you have new construction, there's just more moisture in some areas than others. So you see more ice pockets underneath and more heaving in some areas, that makes driving it a little rough," he said.
"Normally, our roads raise as the ground freezes, it raises three to four inches. But it's all consistent."
Yeo said drivers may remember a similar situation with the Plan B Trans-Canada Highway realignment in 2013 — the first winter brought with it a bumpy, uneven road.
But when the frost eventually melted, moisture evened out and contractors laid down a final layer of asphalt in the summer months, which made for a smoother ride the following winter.
The Cornwall bypass will also get a final layer of asphalt this summer, and Yeo expects the same result.