.

Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

THEBACHA/FORT SMITH - Work is expected to begin this summer on a chipsealing project for Highway 5.

The work is part of the Department of Transportation's plan to chipseal the entire highway as soon a possible, said Earl Blacklock, the manager of public affairs and communications with the department.

Highway maintenance will be done differently on Highway 5 near Fort Smith once chipseal is in place. The government has alloted $6.6 million over four years towards the project. - NNSL file photo

The department has earmarked approximately $6.6 million over four years, beginning this year, for the capital project.

"Part of the intent of this is to bring it up to national highway standards," said Blacklock.

Chipseal commonly consists of layers of asphalt and crushed rock or gravel.

The majority of Highway 5, which runs through the Wood Buffalo National Park on its way to Fort Smith, is gravel. The project will include chipsealing the road to improve its surface and widening the road where necessary to meet national standards, said Blacklock.

The chipsealing project will be done in partnership with Wood Buffalo National Park.

The approximately 116 kilometres of the highway running through the park technically belong to Parks Canada, said Ed Coulthard, the field unit superintendent for the southern NWT for Parks Canada.

Parks Canada and the Department of Transportation are in negotiations to strengthen their partnership and define their roles and responsibilities with regards to the highway. An earlier agreement on operations and maintenance and capital that was developed in the late 1960s was only followed for a short time, said Coulthard. The agreements need to be "modernized," he said.

Last year Parks Canada contributed $1 million for operations and maintenance as well as the capital for the highway. Prior to that Parks Canada hadn't contributed for a number of years, he said.

The two groups are currently looking at the amount that should be spent on operations and maintenance over the next year. They are also working on a five-year capital plan that should be completed in the next few months, said Coulthard.

"We have a fairly good working relationship with the GNWT and that's helped us immensely," Coulthard said.

The chipsealing project will be included in the plan.

"We see the advantage of having the road chipsealed," said Coulthard. "It has the potential to increase tourism for the park."

In general, residents from the community of Fort Smith would also like to see the highway chipsealed, he added.