Winter roads opening across NWT
Several currently operating under load restrictions
Walter Strong
Northern News Services
Published Monday, December 22, 2014
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
Slowly but surely, the NWT's ice roads are beginning to take shape.
The Dettah ice road connecting the community to the capital across Yellowknife Bay opened on Dec. 19 with a 5,000 kg load limit, joining many other winter roads across the North which were reported open as of the same date.
According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), both the Nahanni Butte ice crossing and the Trout Lake winter road are now open to restricted service with loads of no more than 5,000 kg.
In the Mackenzie Delta, the 187 km Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk ice road is open with a 15,000 kg load limit, while the 86 km junction to Aklavik is open with a 14,000 kg limit.
Two Mackenzie Valley winter roads remain closed: the 105 km junction (km 914) to Deline and the 85 km Tulita to Norman Wells roads.
Ice roads from Wrigley to Tulita, Norman Wells to Fort Good Hope and Fort Good Hope to Colville Lake are all open, but under a restricted load limit 5,000 kg.
None of the Tlicho winter roads are open yet, including those from Highway 3 to Whati, Gameti and Wekweeti winter roads. Historically, the Tlicho roads open later than other winter roads in the NWT.
The most current status and load limit of any department of transportation winter road can be checked online at the DOT website.
