TWILLINGATE, N.L. — As potholes continue to plague motorists on rural Newfoundland's highways, "Pothole Man" is making it his mission to keep drivers safe.
Seventy-year-old Ernest Barnes of Summerford hits the highways along the province's north coast for four to five hours every day to mark the potholes with spray paint.
He's already covered an area from Twillingate to Lewisporte, paying close attention to Port Albert, where tourists travel to take the ferry to picturesque Fogo Island.
Barnes has been spray-painting potholes for years, but he says this year's crop is particularly large — he's already emptied about two dozen cans of paint.
As a motorcycle rider, Barnes says he's particularly concerned for riders who could be injured, and for tourists who aren't prepared for such rough roads.
The provincial Transport Department says road repairs in the area will be carried out over the next three years, and added that for safety reasons, the department does not condone residents marking roads for repairs.
