Airport Road under construction
Funding announced by territorial government for roadway upgrades
Sarah Ladik
Northern News Services
Thursday, July 21, 2016
INUVIK
Inuvik is getting two major projects of its own among a dozen or so undertakings worth $81 million collectively for the territory.
The access road to Inuvik's Airport is notorious for its dips and bumps, often making the state of the Dempster Highway pale in comparison. - Sarah Ladik/NNSL photo
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The territorial Department of Transportation announced that the community would see improvements to about 10 km of Airport Road, as well as an overhaul of the James Creek camp out on the Dempster Highway.
Under the Small Communities Fund, the Government of Canada is contributing almost $61 million with the territorial government contributing the rest for 13 infrastructure improvement projects across the NWT, according to a news release issued earlier this month.
"Right now we're in the planning stages of both projects," said assistant deputy minister Jayleen Robertson, explaining that the camp project planning and study phase would hopefully wrap up in the next few months.
The department is working to put out requests for proposals on both ventures in the near future. While Robertson was not keen to provide exact cost predictions before that process truly begins, she estimated the two together would be worth about $15 million.
While the issues with Airport Road are notorious, Robertson said the James Creek camp is very old and in need of replacement.
The camp, and the contractors who use it, are responsible for the maintenance of the Dempster Highway from the Yukon border to Fort McPherson.
"We're extremely pleased with the amount (from the federal government)," said Robertson. "The transportation system is important for all our communities and it's great to have that partner at the federal level."
Inuvik Mayor Jim McDonald said he was relieved to hear progress was being made on the Airport Road situation, having been asking for something to be done at least as far back as 2008.
"It's pretty bad when people are complaining about the paved road more than the Dempster," he told the Drum, adding that council had been told it was on the list last year. "It's so good to see it finally happening."
