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NNSL Photo/Graphic

A snowplow clears the road on the secondary route of the Tibbitt to Contwoyto ice road in March, followed by a water truck. Approximately 100 trucks used the secondary route this year, its first in operation. - Stephanie McDonald/NNSL photo

Record year for ice road

Stephanie McDonald
Northern News Services
Wednesday, April 11, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - The Tibbitt to Contwoyto ice road closed on April 9 after 72 days of operation.

It was the most successful year to date for the ice road, with a record number of loads and tonnage sent North on the road to the Ekati, Diavik, and Tahera mines as well as the Snap Lake mine construction site. Loads were also delivered to exploration and tourist camps.

The total number of loads sent north was 10,922, with 810 loads travelling southbound. The previous record for loads was 7,981 in 2001. In 2006, 6,906 truckloads went up the road.

There was also a record tonnage of fuel, cement, ammonium nitrate and general freight sent North. The previous record was set in 2002, with 257,000 tonnes, but this year 331,000 tonnes travelled North on the road. Thirteen thousand tonnes were sent southbound on the road, much of it construction equipment being hauled out.

"This is probably the best season ever... the weather assisted with that," said Eric Madsen, director of winter road operations with the Joint Venture Management Committee.

"The mines have received all the loads they requested," he said.

"We met our target and we moved everything that we required to move up the road this season," said Deana Twissell, senior external affairs officer with BHP Billiton. The Ekati mine received freight, fuel, cement, tires, and other goods essential to running the mine.

"We're very pleased with the success of this year's winter road," Twissell said.

Tom Hoefer, spokesperson for the Joint Venture Management Committee, was also happy with the ice road season.

"A great deal of this success was due to... Mother Nature, who gave us a more normal, colder winter than last year," he said.

Extra flooding and maintenance crews took advantage of the cold to make ice whenever possible.

Workers from every province were represented at the three maintenance camps this season. There were also truckers on the road from across the country.

Madsen and the Joint Venture Management Committee will have a year-end meeting with the various contractors and trucking companies that are involved with the road.

They will plan for the 2008 ice road season, discuss lessons learned, and decide on any changes to next year's route.

Planning continues throughout the year for the road, with inspections of the route occurring in the summer as well as construction of new and better accesses off portages. Upgrades will also be done at the three maintenance camps along the road.

While 2007 was perhaps the best season yet for the Tibbitt to Contwoyto ice road, it's difficult to predict how next year's road will fare.

"Climate trends still show the North is warming up, and we can only hope for this kind of weather in the future," Hoefer said.