RED LAKE – After declaring a State of Emergency on May 10, wash-outs and culvert collapses along Highway 105 are creating a host of challenges for the people of Red Lake.
Highway 105 is the main route transports take to bring in groceries, gasoline, and general goods into the town, and without it, residents feel the impact as supply begins to dwindle.
Mayor of Red Lake, Fred Mota, explains, “water is continuing to flow quite fast, quite high in Red Lake. It’s creating a lot of havoc with culverts and passage down Highway 105.”
Mota also informs that Quibell road, a detour route through Vermillion Bay, is closed due to repair, which makes getting goods and services into Red Lake an added challenge.
There is hope.
According to Mota, informed by the Ministry of Transportation, Highway 601 can support transports with a recent lifting of weight restrictions.
However, Highway 601 doesn’t connect with Red Lake directly, so transports will have to a series of back roads to get to their destination. Mota has been told that it’s the preferred route for the time being.
“There has been some strain on groceries. We have been getting some transport trucks starting to come up, so our supply is increasing. It’s not at full capacity as of yet. Same with fuel.”
As for Highway 105, the problem is around Boulder Creek, which is entirely flooded and continues to flood.
Until the flooding subsides, culvert repair along Highway 105 will take time.
