Planning is underway for construction of a 13-kilometre stretch of two-lane, gravel road in the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.) that is being built in a manner that will minimize damage to the permafrost.
The new thoroughfare will be south of Norman Wells in the northwest part of the territory and will wind its way from Canyon Creek near Ten Mile Island south to Prohibition Creek. It will replace a winter road that has to be built annually and will be a crucial piece of the eventual Mackenzie Valley Highway (MVH).
Construction on the road, known officially as the Prohibition Creek Access Road (PCAR), is expected to get started next year. The federal government is contributing $15 million through the Green Infrastructure stream of the Canada infrastructure program and the N.W.T. government is chipping in $5 million.
“The contractual work related to this project, including design, construction and project management, will create well-paying jobs in the region, helping to stimulate the economy and get people back to work safety as our economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Lama Khodr, spokesperson for Infrastructure Canada. “This project will also increase the ability for goods and people to move in the North.”
The Government of the N.W.T. is now laying the groundwork for construction of the road. A project description report will be submitted soon to the Sahtu Land and Water Board for a land use permit and water licence. Regulatory approval should be competed in October, paving the way for contracts to be let in January 2021. The road is expected to take a year to build and will open in 2022.
Khodr says the new road will be built along the alignment of the annual winter road and follow the Mackenzie River.
“The project will extend the use of the Mackenzie Valley Winter Road (MVWR) by converting a climate-vulnerable portion of the MVWR from winter-only to all-season usage. The project will provide local and regional benefits for Indigenous peoples, youths and small/medium-sized businesses during its construction, and contribute to local economies by expanding access to resources and tourism.”
Greg Hanna, spokesman for the N.W.T. government, says the new road will be similar to an existing road from Norman Wells to Canyon Creek in both design and appearance.
“As the road is being constructed in a zone of discontinuous permafrost, the construction will occur in a manner to minimize damage to the permafrost. More specifically, the road will be designed as fill only such that a geofabric will be placed on the ground surface and then the embankment will be constructed on top of it. Cutting into the ground surface will be minimized to the extent possible.”
Construction will start at the north end near Canyon Creek and proceed south to the Prohibition Creek Bridge. The exact construction plan, however, will be developed by the construction contractor.
Hanna says it is expected that the materials for the road will be available in Norman Wells or can be trucked in along the winter road.
“A construction plan will be developed with the construction contractor,” explains Hanna. “Winter is expected to be the primary construction season but there are aspects of the work that could occur in the summer.”
The project is important because it is an independent, standalone project that will be reviewed, permitted and constructed on its own merits and does not depend upon eventual construction of the MVH.
“However,” says Hanna, “given its alignment along the current winter road, it is expected that PCAR would eventually become a section of the MVH when that route is completed.
“It has the potential to serve as a capacity-building project for the Sahtu region and may provide an opportunity for local workers and businesses to gain the training and experience that will prepare them for future projects. This was the case during construction of the Canyon Creek Access Road, from which 81 jobs were created.”
Hanna says the PCAR will provide Sahtu Indigenous governments with improved access to large tracts of Sahtu-owned lands that are along both sides of the road from Canyon Creek to Prohibition Creek, which will enable the lands to be developed.
N.W.T. MP Michael McLeod says connecting people and place is key to providing opportunities for northern Canadians.
“The Prohibition Creek Access Road will improve travel and transportation of goods, benefiting the region’s economy and improving the lives of residents, now and in the future.”
N.W.T. Infrastructure and Industry, Tourism and Investment Minister Katrina Nokleby says projects like the PCAR will play a significant part in the recovery of the Northwest Territories post-COVID-19.
“Not only will this project inject money into our economy, it will also provide business, employment, and training opportunities for our residents while delivering the critical infrastructure the Northwest Territories needs to provide important programs and services.”
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