Traffic Incidents Spike Across Miramichi

Year-to-date motor-vehicle crashes in Miramichi have jumped to 450 as of Tuesday, up from 356 recorded by Oct. 13, 2025. Miramichi Police Force Chief Brian Cummings presented the updated figures to city council during a Tuesday update on the community safety action plan introduced last year.

Bridge Shutdown Strains Police Resources

Addressing the city council, Chief Cummings pointed to the ongoing Centennial Bridge closure as the primary driver behind the surge of 104 additional crashes and related traffic complaints. The chief noted that the shutdown has severely impacted travel times and local navigation.

“The bridge closure has caused us much grief when it comes to traffic and timelines for getting around the city,” Cummings stated.

Major Arteries Paralyzed by Single Crashes

According to Cummings, the majority of the recent traffic mishaps correlate directly to the bridge shutdown. He cautioned that a single incident on any primary route can create widespread gridlock across the city.

“The vast majority of those new accidents would be almost directly related to the bridge, and as we all know now, a single accident on a main artery in the city almost paralyzes us,” he said.

Highlighting the strain placed on emergency responders, Cummings recalled a fatal collision on Route 8 and Route 117 roughly a month prior that required extensive police presence and resources.

“If it’s a serious accident, like we had on Route 8 and 117 approximately a month ago, which ended up being a fatality, it ties up our resources for a very long time,” Cummings told council.