SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - After several years in the making, the Deh Cho Boulevard extension opened to traffic last week and it's hoped the bypass from Kam Lake to Highway 3 will lower traffic congestion and make the roads safer.

"It's good from a number of perspectives, and first and foremost is public safety," said Dave Ramsay, Kam Lake MLA. "If there was ever a big disaster at the airport it would essentially cut off any emergency services out to the highway.

"It decreases the amount of truck traffic on Old Airport Road, which is a good thing," the MLA said.

The project was a partnership between the City of Yellowknife and the federal government. Both split the $7.5 million undertaking 50/50, while the territorial government helped facilitate funding approval from the federal government, according to Carl Bird, the city's director of corporate services.

"I'm really quite excited to see the road finally completed," said Ramsay. "It always seemed really far away, and now it's here."

City councillor Mark Heyck said the bypass has been in the works since he joined council in 2003.

"It's been several years in the making," he said. "The rubber really hit the road about three years ago when we started making serious budget plans."

Heyck said the reduction of truck traffic on Old Airport Road will make it safer for other motorists, but it will also mean increased longevity for city roads when not having to cater to large trucks.

"It will reduce a lot of the truck traffic on Old Airport Road and alleviate the need to repair that road with a lot of the trucks using the bypass," said Heyck.