Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 29/02) - The two highways leading into the capital will get a major facelift this summer.

Work on what was one of the worst highways in the North continues, with 23 kilometres of the road between the capital and Rae scheduled for rebuilding.

Work will begin in early May on an 8.5 kilometre stretch at the Yellowknife end, starting near Trapper's Lake and heading toward Rae. At the Rae end, another 14.5 kilometres will be widened, straightened and resurfaced.

"It will bring the unimproved section down to about 40 kilometres, and that will make a big difference," said Transportation Minister Joe Handley of the projects, worth $8.8 million.

MLAs from other communities have criticized spending on the road, saying it benefits only Yellowknife.

Handley rejected that notion.

"That road is essential to the heavy traffic that goes out to the diamond mines and there are some 200 people who live out there," Handley said. Some of the improvements are safety measures, he said.

Reconstruction of Highway 4, the road's official name, will continue for 2.2 kilometres starting just past the Yellowknife dump.

Included in the work is a bridge over Baker Creek which passes under the highway as it winds through the Giant mine lease. Traffic will be detoured during construction of the bridge, which will replace a culvert.

A call for tenders closed Tuesday and the contract will be awarded in a week and a half.