A man from Lowe Farm is raising awareness about the deteriorating conditions on a portion of highway in the area.

Howard Brown says Highway 23 from Kane to Morris is in pretty rough shape thanks to years of patch jobs and heavy agricultural traffic. He noted, at least once a wee,k he sees a car parked on the side of the road he believes has experienced mechanical trouble due to the large bumps and potholes.

In fact, he said the pavement through Lowe Farm is so bad he's observed semi-truck drivers using the shoulder instead of the highway. "That's a safety issue," noted Brown.

While he's discussed the issue with local R.M. of Morris officials, Brown says he's been told Council has written several letters to the province, but has recieved little or no response.

In an effort to draw attention to the poor condition of Highway 23, Brown has rented a large highway sign with neon letters spelling out a plea for the provincial government to fix the road, and others in Manitoba in similar shape.

"If you want tourism coming to Manitoba, you have to have decent highways for (people) to drive on," he said.

A Facebook post with a picture of the large sign is also gaining some traction online.

Brown is urging motorists to contact Shannon Martin, the MLA for Morris.

In an interview with PembinaValleyOnline, Martin said he is aware of the highway sign, and added he has already spoken about it to the Reeve for the R.M. of Morris, Ralph Groening, as well as Manitoba Infrastructure.

The MLA also praised Brown for coming up with a unique way of bringing attention to an issue he feels is important in the area.

"That's the beautiful thing about the democracy we live in," said Martin.

He also isn't discounting what Brown is saying about the highway, adding he's driven it himself a number of times.

"Unfortunately, like a lot of roads here in Manitoba, after seventeen years of NDP there's been a huge amount of infrastructure neglect in terms of regular maintenance, and those chickens are coming home to roost, whether it's on Highway 23 or throughout the province of Manitoba."

Martin explained the provincial government is doing its best to stay on top of the situation with the resources it has. He confirmed PTH 23 is on the province's radar in terms of regular maintenance, noting crews were out doing some patching earlier this summer.

Meantime, Ralph Groening, Reeve for the R.M. of Morris, says that Brown's highway sign is unconventional, the message echoes one Council has been trying to make for some time.

"There's no question that the road is in desperate need of repair," he added. "As a matter of fact, (Council) did pass a resolution - it's not the first one - requesting the Province of Manitoba to do exactly what the signage indicates."

And while infrastructure falls under provincial jurisdiction, Brown also suggests calling Portage-Lisgar MP, Candice Bergen, to bring even more attention to the issue.

"I'd hate to see any lives claimed because of a poor highway," he noted.