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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Construction on Tin Can Hill is leaving some 49 Street residents with a bad taste in their mouth.

Rob Taggart stands outside his home on 49 Street which is covered in dried mud and dust deposited by work vehicles from Tin Can Hill over the past week. He called the situation "pathetic." - Danielle Sachs/NNSL photo

Constant traffic through the area is kicking up heavy clouds of dust that are settling on everything nearby.

Rob Taggart lives on 49 Street and was told by the city that it's the contractor's responsibility to clean up the street. RTL Robinson Enterprises Ltd. is the firm in charge of the project.

"In some places the dust is so thick it's like seeing footprints in the snow," said Taggart.

The work started last year when crews started constructing the access road for the city's new water treatment plant.

Earlier last week, trucks started hauling material out of the area, tracking mud along the road.

"It's not their fault," said Taggart. "They're driving through mud and dirt but someone has to clean it up."

Mayor Gordon Van Tighem said the city is keeping an eye on the issue, but reiterated that the cleanup is the responsibility of the contractor.

"They've been advised that they are supposed to clean it up," he said.

Taggart says he's seen joggers and cyclists pass by covering their mouths, trying to keep dust out.

By the weekend, Taggart said the road looked like it was entirely made of mud. "You couldn't tell it was paved," he said.

Monday morning, a Robinson's street sweeping machine went by, but by noon the same day dust clouds were rolling over the area again.

Larry Wheaton, vice-president of operations at RTL, said there had been direction given by the city but no one had anticipated how bad the problem would be.

"Because of the muddy season it's been pretty bad," Wheaton said. "It'll be cleaned up at the end of each shift."

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