A section of Highway 35 has reopened in both directions after emergency road crews performed major repairs after a significant washout between Birkendale Road and Seabreeze Road near Dwight, Ont. The washout temporarily closed Highway 35 for a few days, forcing motorists to take Highway 117, Brunel Road, South Portage Road, or Highway 60 to get around Lake of Bays. Fortunately, no one sustained injuries when the road gave away.
A video posted in a Facebook community group on Monday shows fast-moving water from Lake of Bays gushing through a large gap where the road once was. All that remained were wooden guard rail posts hanging across the empty section of the road.
Photo: Greg Metcalfe/Dorset Facebook Group
The washout appears to have started at the culvert, that lets water pass from the lake through to a stream. As the water erodes the soil around the culvert, it chips away at the foundation of the road until it collapses.
A few days later, Facebook user Greg Metcalfe posted a follow-up video showing the road filled in. In a post, the Township of Lake of Bays told motorists that repairs are ongoing and they should expect delays as traffic may be limited to a single lane.
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