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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
It's expected a new entrance and exit way will ease long standing traffic congestion at Stanton Plaza on Old Airport Road, and businesses there are looking forward to its completion.

Business people located near the city streetscaping project on Old Airport Road are looking forward to its completion. Work crews have been attempting to complete culvert work, but have faced challenges with the amount of ground water in the area. - Simon Whitehouse/NNSL photo

The project is part of a $1.5 million streetscaping project taking place on Old Airport Road. Aside from the new entrance, the city is also installing new culverts along the south side of Old Airport Road which has being going on since mid-September.

The Liquor Shop owner Donna Smith said she is grateful for the work being done in the area, although hopes a completion date is coming soon. Smith said she had been lobbying plaza owner Les Rocher to get an additional entrance.

"Up until now we have only had the single road entering from Borden Drive into the Stanton Plaza road, but soon we will have a new entrance from Airport Road as well," Smith said, adding traffic congestion often gets "nightmarish," especially during the holiday season.

Hot Shots Pub and Grub owner Penny McHugh said if anything, the work has helped her business, as she has had access to more clients from the project workers themselves.

"I don't think it has affected us too much," she said. "Actually, it has been good because they have been all out here working and they have to come and eat."

Deborah Hudson, manager of Super 8 Motel, said there really haven't been any accessibility issues associated with the construction.

"It hasn't affected us at all," she said. "We are still number one in town and it has been a crazy month. So it hasn't affected us whatsoever."

Mayor Gord Van Tighem said the project is in its second phase and should be completed soon, although it is uncertain yet when work will be done.

According to the city's capital budget, the city is seeking to "improve some long standing traffic issues between the Co-op, Stanton Plaza, and Wal-mart."

Workers on site on Wednesday, none of whom wished to be identified, confided that culvert work in the last month has been particularly challenging because of the amount of ground water found during digging.

They said work will likely continue into the new year. It is the ultimate goal is to replicate work completed on the north side of Old Airport last year, which included back-fill, the installation of park benches and culvert work.

At the same time, workers were unsure of when work on the new entrance at Stanton Plaza would begin.

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