MLA and minister hit the roads
Maintenance, chipsealing efforts continue to progress
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, June 18, 2015
DEH CHO
After taking a tour of the highways in the Deh Cho, Minister of Transportation Tom Beaulieu has committed to repairs.
Nahendeh MLA Kevin Menicoche took Transportation Minister Tom Beaulieu on a tour of the Deh Cho highways last week. Here, they stop in Jean Marie River for a public meeting regarding access and roads. - photo courtesy of Kevin Menicoche
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Nahendeh MLA Kevin Menicoche took Beaulieu up to Wrigley and Fort Liard last week as part of a highway tour of the riding. Now, Menicoche said, he has received confirmation from the government that maintenance is scheduled for both roads.
The road to Wrigley needs continued maintenance, although there are no specific areas Menicoche wants to see fixed.
"One of the biggest concerns from elders was that brushing had to be done because the brush was so close to the highway they were afraid if a bear or a moose comes out, drivers won't have time to react. So brushing will be taking place," he said.
However, the road to Fort Liard is a different matter.
"Highway 7 has for years and years been notorious. This particular year, they've been keeping up with continued maintenance - it was in fair condition when we drove it," Menicoche said.
Despite that, Beaulieu has committed to fixing the large dip at kilometre 169 at some point in July.
Twenty kilometres will be chipsealed, or paved, from the B.C. border toward Fort Liard this year, and the government intends to control dust on 30 kilometres of Highway 7 by putting calcium on the roadway.
Menicoche said although the Wrigley road and Highway 7 are the ones the government is investing in this year, he continues to advocate for further chipsealing throughout the region.
"The residents of Fort Simpson dream that one day we'll have (the highway) entirely chipsealed, all the way to Hay River," he said.
"That continues to be my priority."
This year, Menicoche said there are plans to reconstruct about 15 kilometres of road to Jean Marie River, which will involve resurfacing, widening and changing out the culverts. Next year, an additional 15 kilometres is expected to be chipsealed.
"It's slowly happening, 20 kilometres per year," he said.
During their trip, Menicoche and Beaulieu were not able to go into Nahanni Butte and Trout Lake, and planned to meet the respective chiefs of the communities during the Dehcho First Nations Annual Assembly, which started June 24.
At the beginning of June, Beaulieu tabled a territory-wide, long-term transportation strategy based on principles of improving and expanding the existing transportation network, as well as improving delivery of services to the public.
Beaulieu said his department is also going to be releasing two additional documents this fall related to the strategy: a transportation "report card" to establish a benchmark for the strategy, and a four-year action plan for implementation beginning in 2015-16.
Additionally, a federally appointed panel was in the North on June 3 to hear from residents how new transportation policies and program development could support sustainable economic development.
"This is a valuable and unique opportunity for Northerners to provide our perspectives on how the transportation system can support economic growth with nation-building projects, such as the Mackenzie Valley Highway to Norman Wells," Beaulieu said.
