Quebec Highway 389 - Road Surfaces 3

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There are 248 km (154 miles) of gravel surface that by and large is well maintained. Often these sections seem smoother then the paved road because there is less transport traffic causing ruts. The scenery is beautiful on this lonesome stretch of road.

South of Gagnon, where the paved and gravel roads meet, is a sharp turn to the west to stay on 389 and a sharp turn to the east to go to the old Lake Jeannine mine site. The photo to the left shows this turn in spring and the photo to the right shows the turn in October.

Drivers traveling this gravel road should remember that during times of rain and snow the roads become muddy, slippery, and the number of pot-holes gives the surface a washboard texture. As soon as weather permits, graders are back on the road filling in the pot holes and smoothing the surface. Because of the amount of snow in the winter and summer rains, keeping adequate top gravel and an adequate shoulder on this long road is a never-ending engineering feat. We have been told that during the winter months once the snow gets packed onto the road surface the road is, in fact, better then in summer. Since we have not traveled the length of Highway 389 during the winter, we are relying on other people's information.