Flood waters have receded in many areas of New Brunswick, leaving crumbling roads in their wake.

Transportation Minister Denis Landry toured some of the damaged highways and roads in the Fredericton area on Wednesday.

The fast-flowing current of the flooded St. John River has washed away gravel from the shoulders of roads and shifted huge chunks of asphalt into nearby fields.

Landry said the extent of the damage to New Brunswick's infrastructure will likely be "in the millions."

The province spent about $500,000 repairing roads after the last major flood in 2005. But this year's damage is expected to be much worse, Landry said.

The minister said construction projects to begin the repairs will be starting immediately, but there is no estimate on when the work will be completed.

About 40 sections of roads across the province remained closed on Thursday because of the flooding.

The waters of the St. John River continue to recede throughout the basin that spans from Maine to the port city of Saint John.

Premier Shawn Graham and Maine Gov. John Baldacci toured Fort Kent, Maine, and Clair, N.B., on Thursday.

Fort Kent was also badly flooded by the river, and Baldacci declared a state of emergency in the area.

Graham said the two political leaders would be discussing how the governments could work together in the area to address emergency situations in the future.

Worries about river rising again

The river crested throughout the province on Wednesday following the flooding that began with spring snowmelt, but was compounded by heavy rainfall.

The rain in the forecast will disrupt the decreasing water levels in New Brunswick for at least the next 48 hours, New Brunswick's Emergency Measures Organization said in a press release.

The organization is also closely monitoring a weather system that is expected to bring rain to the province over the weekend and may increase the flow and level of the river.

River levels are expected to rise at least 10 to 20 centimetres because of the rain, the release said.

Most buildings in Fredericton have reopened since the flood crested at 8.33 metres in the capital city last week.

In Saint John, where the drainage of flood waters is being resisted by the high tides of the Bay of Fundy, about 20 roads in the area remain closed. The road connecting Darlings Island to the mainland is among those still under water.

Roads in the area will remain closed until engineers have assessed the damage and determined they are safe, said Nancy Moar, spokeswoman with the Emergency Measures Organization in Saint John.

Cleanup aid available

People in the area are still able to register with Red Cross for assistance, Moar said, and can also call the city to register for a special garbage pickup after they return to their homes.

Hundreds of calls will likely be coming in as people return to their flood-damaged homes, said Dick Hickey, co-owner of a disaster cleanup company.

"Carpets, drywall, any upholstered contents — that stuff needs to be disposed of," Hickey said. "If it was made of steel or solid wood, actual concrete surfaces can be cleaned and disinfected."

A simple flood cleanup and disinfection of a home can cost up to $8,000, Hickey said.

More than 1,000 people have already applied for the province's financial assistance program.

Homeowners are eligible for up to $80,000 in compensation after paying a $1,000 deductible.

Businesses and farms have a $5,000 deductible and can be compensated for 100 per cent of damage up to $100,000 and 75 per cent beyond that.

Emergency Measures is forecasting the following water levels:

• In Fredericton, the water level is expected to rise slightly to 6.6 metres by Friday. Flood stage is 6.5 metres.
• In Maugerville, the water level is expected to recede to six metres by Friday. Flood stage is 6.0 metres.
• In Jemseg, the water level is expected to recede to 5.3 metres by Friday. Flood stage is 4.3 metres.
• In Grand Lake, the water level is expected to recede to 5.3 metres by Friday. Flood stage is 5.0 metres.
• In Sheffield-Lakeville Corner, the water level is expected to recede to 5.4 metres by Friday. Flood stage is 4.8 metres.
• In Oak Point, the water level is expected to reach 4.8 metres by Friday. Flood stage is 4.7 metres.
• In Quispamsis and Saint John, the water level is expected to recede to 4.6 metres by Friday. Flood stage is 4.2 metres.