Candace Derksen

Ralph Groening, Reeve for the R.M. of Morris, says the Province's announcement of a one-time, per capita road repair grant, will be a welcome addition to the funding Council already set aside for such a program this year.

"Before the flood became a priority, our rural gravel roadway was in really poor shape and it continues to be in poor shape, and additional rain is just going to make that worse," he said.

Groening added some of the Municipality's gravel roads are nearly impassable.

Municipality of Rhineland reeve, Don Wiebe, was pleased to hear this week that the Province finalized a Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) program in response to the spring flooding.
    
Many crossings, including entire sections of roads and culverts in the municipality, saw severe washouts as a result of the water.

The bills are starting to add up for the R.M. of Stanley as crews begin repairing roads damaged by the hard winter and wet spring. That from Deputy Reeve Ike Friesen who says the Province's investment of an additional $15 million, one-time grant for municipalities to support road repairs, is welcome news. The municipality will receive $106,051.67 through the program.

"We're keeping track of all the repairs that we're doing. Some are more expensive than others," said Friesen. 

Some provincial campgrounds in the area won't be opening as scheduled due to moisture problems.

Openings originally scheduled for May 13th have been delayed at St. Malo and Stephenfield provincial parks until at least May 20th, said Manitoba Environment, Climate and Parks, Closures may be extended if flooding and high water conditions continue.

Manitoba Parks staff are closely monitoring this evolving situation and assessing conditions daily.

The Reeve for the Municipality of Rhineland is welcoming the Province's announcement of an additional $15 million, one-time grant for municipalities to support road repairs. 

The program, announced Monday by Premier Heather Stefanson, will provide municipalities with financial support for road reconstruction, rehabilitation and preservation projects. The money will be distributed to Manitoba's 137 municipalities on a per-capita basis. 

The Reeve for the Municipality of Montcalm says he is disappointed with this week's rainy forecast.

A low-pressure system was expected to bring widespread rainfall amounts of 20 to 30 mm yesterday to areas of Southern Manitoba already dealing with saturated soils and flooding concerns.

Paul Gilmore says this extra moisture is definitely not necessary, and he is disappointed there is more in the forecast throughout the week.

Officers with the Pembina Valley RCMP, along with Headingley Traffic Services, have stepped up enforcement on Highways 3 and 14 lately. Those roads have seen commercial and regular traffic increase since becoming part of a detour after Highway 75 was closed off south of Morris due to dike closures.

The Municipality of Montcalm continues to brace for the arrival of the Red River crest, expected next week.

"The overland flooding is always ongoing. There's more flooded roads every day it seems," said Reeve Paul Gilmore. "We encourage residents and anyone else to stay away from those roads because you don't know what's under there."

As of Wednesday morning, 72 residents had been evacuated from their homes in the municipality, and Gilmore expects that number will increase as the crest nears.

The province's Transportation and Infrastructure minister Doyle Piwniuk is issuing a word of caution to those with travel plans starting this evening and into the Easter weekend as a major spring blizzard remains poised to wallop southern and central Manitoba.

Highway closures are expected, visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow and surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become icy and slippery.

Piwniuk encourages Manitobans to stay home.

Provincial officials are keeping an eye on where exactly this week's Colorado Low will track.

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, the western Red River Valley could see 80-centimetres of snow with this system.

Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure minister, Doyle Piwniuk, says this amount of moisture at this point in the spring season is concerning.