Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services
Published Monday, July 21, 2008

ACHO DENE KOE/FORT LIARD - An unmanned weigh scale station at Fort Liard is causing headaches for residents, according to the hamlet's mayor.

The station, located just south of the access road to the hamlet, has been closed for almost a year.

While it was open, residents were able to get and renew their vehicle registrations, drivers' licences and plates at the station, said Mayor Wayne Newbury.

People now have to travel to Fort Simpson to receive the services.

"It's costing people a fortune to get their driver's licence changed," he said.

Accessing services has been an even greater problem over the past month due to the frequent closures of Highway 7, which links the two communities.

In addition to the lack of services, Newbury said the closure of the station is one of the reasons that Highway 7 is in such poor condition. The station is in a key area to monitor heavy traffic that's coming into the territory from British Columbia.

"Since they haven't been there, there's been more traffic on that road," Newbury said.

With no one at the station to check the transport trucks, there's nothing to stop them if they're overweight, he said.

"That's what's tearing up our roads," said Newbury.

There has not been a decision to close the weigh scale, said Daniel Auger, the assistant deputy minister for the Department of Transportation.

About a year ago, the Highway Patrol Officer who staffed the station took a position in Hay River.

Since then the department has been examining a number of different options for how to offer the services that were previously provided at the station, Auger said.

"The weigh scale is still there and we are maintaining it," he said.

He said the level of traffic passing the station has decreased due to less oil and gas development.

The purpose of the weigh scale is to check load limits to ensure trucks aren't exceeding the maximum permitted weight allowed on the highway.

One of the options the department is considering is a self-weigh scale. Under this system the scale would be automated and would print out tickets recording the weight that truck drivers would keep and show to Highway Patrol Officers if they were stopped.

This system allows for more flexibility and gives the officer more time for other duties, Auger said. Another option is a call centre that could issue permits for oversized or overweight vehicles.

"We expect carriers to follow the rules," he said.

A Highway Patrol Officer travels to Fort Simpson and Fort Liard on an as-needed basis to deliver drivers' exams and patrol.

"We're confident ... public safety is well taken care of," said Auger.

In the case of drivers' licences, Auger said the department is considering using a portable issuing office. The office has been successfully tried in the high Arctic and could be used elsewhere.

"It's an interim solution while we look at options to see how we can better serve and more efficiently serve the public," he said.

At this point no option has been chosen, Auger said.