Safety
Moncton's Tidal Bore Area: What Helps If You Break Down Nearby
If your car quits near Bore Park or the river in downtown Moncton, stay on the pavement and away from the bank. The Petitcodiac can go from almost empty to nearly full within two hours when the tidal bore comes in. Turn on your hazards, stay with your car, and call for roadside help. If anyone is hurt or you're stuck in a live lane, call 911 first.
What is the tidal bore, and why does it matter to drivers?
The tidal bore is a single wave that rolls up the Petitcodiac River, against the current. The City of Moncton says it can be half a meter to one meter tall. It comes twice a day, pushed by the Bay of Fundy tides.
The wave itself passes fast. The front moves at about 8 to 13 km/h, so it goes by one spot quickly. But the water keeps rising long after. The city says the river changes from almost empty to nearly overflowing within two hours.
That's the part that matters if your car stops nearby. A muddy bank that looks dry at low tide can be under water later the same afternoon. So never park on the riverbank, and never walk down to the mud to look at something. Your car can be replaced. You can't.
Where do people break down near the bore?
Most trouble here isn't on a highway. It's in the small streets and lots around the viewing spot. The best views are at Bore Park, 10 Bendview Court, next to the Treitz House. People sit in the amphitheater facing the river and wait.
The city lists these places to park near Bore Park:
- Moncton Place: the closest city lot. Its entrances are on Botsford Street and Orange Lane.
- Bendview Court: street meters right by the park.
- Steadman Street: more street meters nearby.
- Assomption Boulevard: meters, and the address of Riverfront Park at 110 Assomption.
Parking here is paid through HotSpot. You don't need an app. You scan the QR code with your phone camera and follow the steps.
Why do batteries die while people wait for the bore?
The bore keeps loose hours. The city says its times are estimates and can be off by 20 minutes either way. It tells you to arrive 30 minutes early. Then it says to stay up to an hour after, to see the river fill.
That's a long wait in a parked car. Here's how it goes wrong:
- You sit in the Moncton Place lot with the heat or the radio on, engine off.
- You leave the headlights on for an early morning bore and walk to the park.
- It's a cold January evening, and an old battery has no reserve left.
When you come back, the car just clicks. A jump start fixes that most of the time. If the car still won't start after a jump, it needs a tow to a shop you choose.
When is the bore biggest?
The city says full moons and "supermoons" can bring high, dramatic bores. It calls spring one of the best seasons to see it. Rain, drought and snowmelt change how much water the river carries, and that changes the wave too.
Big bore days bring bigger crowds. That means full meters, tight street parking and more people walking between cars. Drive slowly on Bendview Court and Assomption Boulevard on those days. Park where the city says to park, never on grass or dirt near the water.
What if your car stops on the bridge to Riverview?
The old causeway is gone. It was a raised road built across the river in 1968. Its floodgates opened for good in 2010, and the causeway was removed. In its place is the Brenda Robertson Bridge, which opened on September 17, 2021.
The federal government describes the new bridge this way:
- It's 240 meters long.
- It has four traffic lanes, up from two on the old road.
- It has a 3-meter-wide sidewalk for people on foot.
Four lanes means faster traffic on both sides of you. So if your car fails on the bridge, don't get out to look under the hood. Keep your belt on, hazards on, and call 911 if you're stuck in a lane.
What does New Brunswick law say about stopping on a bridge?
The Motor Vehicle Act says no one may stop, stand or park on a bridge. It allows a stop when you need it to avoid other traffic, or to obey the law. It also lets police remove a car left alone on a bridge or causeway if it blocks traffic. So if you can still roll, coast off the bridge before you stop. If you can't, stay with the car until help comes.
The other way across the river is the Gunningsville Bridge. If one crossing is blocked, traffic piles onto the other. Tell your driver which bridge you're on, and which way you're facing.
What should you do the moment your car stops near the river?
- Hazards on. Do it while you're still moving if you can.
- Stay on solid pavement. Don't steer onto a soft shoulder or toward the bank.
- Don't walk to the water. Not to check the car, not to watch the wave.
- Note a landmark. Bore Park, the Treitz House, Moncton Place, or the bridge.
- Call for help. Say what happened and what the car is doing.
Did a wheel slip off the edge of a lot or a gravel pull-off? A winch-out can pull it back to firm ground when it's close to the road. If your car is down the bank or in the water, that's not a roadside job. Get yourself to dry, high ground and call 911.
Once a tow truck is working, New Brunswick law asks other drivers to slow to half the posted limit. On roads with two or more lanes, they must move over when it's safe. On Wheeler Boulevard near the river, that gives your driver room to work.
Is Riverfront Park safe to wait in after dark?
Riverfront Park is open dawn to dusk. It has 5 km of trails that link downtown to Dieppe and Riverview. Washrooms there are open in summer only. In winter, the city clears some trail sections for walking.
So if your car dies at night, don't wander the trail to wait. Stay in your car with the doors locked, or wait in a lit spot near the street. If you came for the early bore, it may still be dark when you return to the lot.
How does Sentinel help near the river?
Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network. A vetted local partner tow company does the job. We lock your price by text before anyone is sent. Then we check on you by text until help arrives. You see your driver's name, photo and truck first, and you can track your truck on a map. That's our Stay-With-You Promise.
Your price depends on the job. A jump in the Moncton Place lot is a different job from a tow across the bridge to a Riverview shop. You see the price by text and decide before anyone rolls.
Our Moncton towing page covers the city, Dieppe, Riverview and the roads around them. For road closures and conditions, check New Brunswick 511.
Stuck right now? Call 1-888-TOW-1213, or request help online.
Tidal Bore Area Questions
Can the tidal bore flood my parked car in Moncton?
Not if you park where the city says to, like Moncton Place or the street meters. The danger is the riverbank and the mud. The river can go from almost empty to nearly full within two hours, so never park or walk down there.
My battery died while I waited at Bore Park. What now?
Call for a jump start and tell us which lot or street you're on. You get your price by text first. If the car won't start after a jump, it can be towed to a shop you pick.
What if my car breaks down on the bridge to Riverview?
Stay in your car with your belt on and hazards on. If you're stuck in a lane, call 911 first. New Brunswick law limits stopping on bridges, so coast off if you still can.
Is the old Petitcodiac causeway still there?
No. The causeway was removed. The Brenda Robertson Bridge took its place in 2021, with four lanes and a sidewalk.
Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: City of Moncton tidal bore, City of Moncton Riverfront Park, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada: Petitcodiac River crossing, NB Motor Vehicle Act, New Brunswick 511, Gunningsville Bridge.
