Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 15/99) - At least one day of grocery transport will cost Yellowknifers more money this week.

John Johansen, service centre manager for Grimshaw Trucking Ltd., said Wednesday that the delay in the opening of the main ice bridge at Fort Providence complicates the situation and raises costs for trucking firms.

The department of transportation announced this week the Fort Providence ferry service would end Wednesday but that only the temporary ice bridge was ready for use, with a weight restriction of 21,000 kilograms, too light for a transport trailer.

Johansen said that as a result the firm has to send an empty transport trailer and a delivery truck down on the eight-hour drive to Fort Providence. The delivery truck will then be used to transfer groceries from the Edmonton transport across the kilometre-long bridge to the waiting Yellowknife transport, a four to six hour operation. He said increased costs must be passed along to clients and then consumers. He said he expected some trucking firms might have their transports simply sit and wait for the main bridge opening.

Les Shaw, director of marine services out of Fort Simpson, said the recent deep-freeze temperatures means there was no choice but to halt ferry service as of noon Wednesday.

"The big problem with the ferry is we've run out of water," he said, adding with a chuckle, "When the draft of the vessel exceeds the depth of the water, we run aground."

Shaw said since the main ice bridge should be open Friday morning, he has consulted with local transporters and expects no major interruption of service. He said crews have finished spraying the bridge and are simply profiling it now, using subsurface interface radar to measure for thickness and water spots. At maximum strength, the bridge will be 1.2 metres thick and support 62,500 kilograms.

But as far as Wednesday night's grocery run goes, Johansen said, "It won't cost as much as an airlift, but there will be a price increase."