Highway 7 is the site of several projects by the Department of Transportation this summer.

The department has two separate projects underway on different parts of the highway including bridge rehabilitation and reconstruction of the beginning of the highway.

Work is being done on a number of bridges along Highway 7, including the one across Big Island Creek, as part of rehabilitation plan. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Motorists travelling between the Checkpoint junction and Fort Liard on Highway 7 may find some of the bridges reduced to one lane. All eight bridges in that section of the highway are part of a bridge inspection and rehabilitation program, said Kevin Menicoche, the minister of transportation.

Following the collapse of an overpass in Laval, Que. in September 2006, transportation authorities around the country, including the NWT, have taken a renewed look at their bridge inspection programs, said Menicoche.

In the territory, every bridge is inspected once every three years. Bridges nearing the end of their lifespans are checked more frequently. Approach rails, curbs and bridge decks have all been inspected along Highway 7 to make sure they were in good condition. Any deficiencies are being repaired, said Menicoche.

Work on the bridges started in June and is 30 per cent complete. The work remaining at the end of the season will be completed next year. Most of the work involves resurfacing the decks, he said.

A total of $950,000 has been earmarked in the capital plan for the inspection and rehabilitation of the bridges.

Motorists can also find construction crews on the highway near the British Columbia border.

The 38-kilometres between the border and Fort Liard are slated for reconstruction, said Menicoche. Crews are now working on the first 14-kilometres. The plan is to finish that section this year although rain has delayed work on kilometres seven to 14.

Work was needed on the road because sections were collapsing, Menicoche said. The road is approximately 35 years-old. Construction practices at the time of its creation included using logs as the base and filling gravel on top of them.

The logs are now rotting leading the road to collapse so rebuilding was necessary, he said. Crews are digging to the base of the road to install a new base and then putting on a new surface.

During the process the highway is also being widened up to two metres. The increased width allows for an improved grade on the road and creates a better surface for heavy trucks to travel on, said Menicoche.

Work on the project started in 2004-05 with quarry development and clearing of the brush on the right of way. Construction began last year. Every new kilometre of road costs $650,000. The program is slated to cost $11.5 million over five years.

Menicoche said he's been getting mixed comments from the public about the construction work.

"People are happy to see the construction on Highway 7," he said.

Drivers have also said that the work is taking a long time, leaving the road rough during the process, said Menicoche.

As part of the project, the highway is being used as a test case for a chemical called EK35 that is designed to control dust.

The chemical has been used on airstrips but this is the first time it has been applied to a road in the territory.

The chemical lasts longer than calcium chloride but needs to be applied to a fresh surface.

After a three-year application process, EK35 is expected to last two to three years. A higher quality of dust control and easier maintenance is expected, said Menicoche.