About a dozen protesters halted traffic Thursday to protest what they called wretched conditions on a regional road that connects the western Newfoundland communities of Flat Bay and St. Teresa.

The peaceful protest, which lasted about two hours, was held at the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and Route 403.

Demonstrators stopped motorists to let them know how they feel about the state of the roads, in hopes of putting pressure on the Newfoundland and Labrador government to improve more roads in the area.

Protester Juanita Kerfont told CBC News they were unhappy that the province had only begun work on 1.3 kilometres of local roadways, despite having previously committed to fixing up 2.5 kilometres.

But an official with the Department of Transportation and Works said the contract still involves 2.5 km of roadwork.

One of the organizers also told CBC News they've been fighting to get a new road in the area for more than 38 years.

Demonstrators said a stretch of the road is not in good enough shape to start to handle school buses scheduled to start using it next year.

"The concerns are that the road is in such rough condition that the bus may not be able to get over there," Kerfont said.