Report favours winter road to Kivalliq
Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Jan 15/01) - When it comes to building a road from northern Manitoba to Rankin Inlet, a coastal route could be the best option.
That's as long as it's a winter road, according to a Manitoba government study done last year.
The Manitoba-Nunavut Transportation Assessment concludes that when it comes to a road into the Kivalliq, the best "strategy option" is a winter-only route along the Hudson Bay coast.
Developing the winter road would cost $17 million. Annual maintenance cost is pegged at $4 million, according to the study.
A winter road link would reduce the cost of moving goods into the Kivalliq by an estimated $7 million -- $6.6 million in air cargo and $400, 000 in marine cargo -- a year, one-quarter of annual marine cargo costs and 80 per cent of air cargo.
"(Manitoba Highways and Government Services) also looked at a $4-million per year road over the ice (but) liability could be an issue," said John Spacek.
Spacek, who spoke at last November's Nunavut Mining Symposium in Rankin Inlet, is senior director of Manitoba highways, part of the provincial government's Highways and Government Services department.
Because of the short period of operation, a winter road is not considered a viable alternative for passenger travel, while marine cargo would only be diverted to a winter road if there were substantial savings.
The study also looks at moving a potential winter road further inland -- to follow possible all-weather road routes.
There would still be a savings but it would not be as much compared to a winter road along the coast.
Maintenance costs for a winter road built further inland would be higher than the savings generated by such a road.
An all-weather road would dramatically cut transportation costs into the region: marine cargo by 50 per cent; air cargo by 80 per cent; and air passenger costs by 75 per cent.
Building a year-round all-weather road comes with significant costs.
The study estimates construction cost between $1.6 billion and $1.9 billion. Annual maintenance costs would also be higher than annual transportation savings.
The study also indicates there is potential for savings on goods moving to the Kivalliq before they even leave Manitoba.
"We looked at the Manitoba-Kivalliq system (and a) 30 per cent cost savings over the current system of dry cargo is possible" from Winnipeg to Churchill, said Spacek
The key to this savings would be using large, shipping containers, he added.
