Yellowknife (May 03/06) - Spring conditions on the Dettah access road are perilous for the unwary driver.

This is due to huge potholes and sections of the road breaking down from melting snow.

Parts of the road were submerged by running water over the weekend, according to Dettah residents.

"Highway workers tried to put the water to one side," said Beatrice Sangris.

Though she drives a truck, Sangris said she doesn't feel safe driving into Yellowknife on the only road connecting the city and Dettah now that the ice road is closed.

Christine Baillargeon owns a small car. She blew a tire on the Dettah road Sunday.

"The road is bad," she said.

Baillargeon said the repair shop told her a rock had caused the flat.

Road crews have been working all week to repair the damage to the 11 km road, covering potholes and damaged sections with gravel.

Only about a centimetre of water covered the road, said North Slave region transportation superintendent Michael Conway. "The spring season is when we face most challenges (on roads)," he said.

He said the Department of Transportation is looking to allot more money to fixing the Dettah access road, which has been the source of many complaints from Dettah residents.

Conway could not comment on how much money would be allocated.

The Dettah access road was chip-sealed in 2003, a Northern alternative to using asphalt, said Conway.

Chip-sealing involves flattening a gravel surface then putting hot oil on the road. Special types of ground rock are put on the layer of oil, creating the surface of the road.

Next week crews will be out fixing the chip-sealed sections that have deteriorated, said Conway.

More extensive construction on sections closer to Dettah are scheduled for the summer, he added.