The rising floodwaters of the St. John River are beginning to have an impact on roads and residents in the Fredericton area.

A walking trail on the south side of Fredericton is submerged in the floodwaters of the St. John River. (Courtesy of Elizabeth Johnson)

Flooding closed a stretch of Highway 105 in Keswick from Sisson Settlement Road to Tripp Settlement Road on Wednesday afternoon.

Route 105 was also closed from Bluebird Corner in Maugerville to the Jemseg River Bridge, and Route 690 was closed from McGowan's Corner to Lakeville Corner.

Police are keeping a 24-hour watch on roadways and will close stretches of roads as needed, said RCMP officials.

"When I left three hours ago, there was nothing, not a puddle," said Andrea Rowney, who lives on the St. John River in Maugerville. "It's come up pretty quickly and my front yard doesn't exist. So I am a little worried."

The Trans-Canada Highway usually separates Rowney's house from the water but on Wednesday, the road and her yard were engulfed.

Rowney said she will take her dogs and some of her belongings and head for higher ground until the water recedes but others in the area plan to wait it out.

Sandbags are piled in driveways in the area in an effort to keep the waters back. Tools, bikes and children's outdoor toys are piled atop sheds in an effort to keep them from floating away.

"We live here by choice," said Barry Thompson, who has lived along the river for 18 years. "Nothing they can do about the river."

Thompson said he'll be watching over his home by boat, if necessary.

"You just move out and come back once in a while in your boat and check to make sure things are all right and [see] if anything needs to be put up a little higher," he said.

The province's Emergency Measures Organization is forecasting the river will rise another 20 centimetres by Thursday morning, when it is expected to reach 7.2 metres and remain at that level until into Friday.

On Wednesday, water was already lapping at the base of the Crowne Plaza Hotel and the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in downtown Fredericton.

The Red Cross has put a disaster-services team in the city, along with a response vehicle, 50 cots and hundreds of blankets.

Registration centres are open for people affected by the flooding as a means of tracking where people are relocating.

University offers rooms to evacuees

The University of New Brunswick has also opened its doors to people who need to leave their homes and are not able to stay with friends or family.

"They've been very generous in donating their residence rooms for evacuees," said Kerry Appleton, spokeswoman for the Red Cross.

The agency is recommending that anyone who needs to relocate take enough personal supplies for a week, including prescriptions, clothing, toiletries and identification.

Emergency Measures is forecasting the following water levels for other areas:

• In Maugerville, the water level was at 5.93 metres and is expected to increase to 6.1 metres by Friday. Flood stage is 6.0 metres.
• In Jemseg, the water level was at 4.36 metres and is expected to reach 5.0 metres by Friday. Flood stage is 4.3 metres.
• In Grand Lake, the water level was at 4.29 metres and is expected to hit 5.1 metres by Friday. Flood stage is 5.0 metres.
• In Sheffield-Lakeville Corner, the water level was at 4.34 metres and is expected rise to about 5.1 metres by Friday. Flood stage is 5.1 metres.
• In Oak Point, the water level is at 3.64 metres and is expected to reach 4.1 metres by Friday. Flood stage is 4.7 metres.
• In Quispamsis, the water level is at 3.35 metres and is expected increase to 3.8 metres by Friday. Flood stage is 4.2 metres.

With files from the Canadian Press