Mr. Speaker, I would like to report on the important progress the Department of Transportation has made in improving the Sahtu winter road system. In preparing for the possible construction of a Mackenzie Valley pipeline...
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...in no other part of the Northwest Territories does the Department of Transportation face a greater challenge to accommodating the safe interaction of individual/personal traffic and commercial/industrial truck traffic. Last season, the Sahtu communities expressed their concerns about the increase in industrial traffic on the winter road system and the impact it could have on the traveling safety of the general public. The Department of Transportation took steps to address them.
First of all, the department acknowledged that the road was not well signed to advise drivers of adverse conditions and difficult sections of road. A three-year program is now underway, which started last year, to install adequate traffic signage along the road. The department has also reduced the speed limit along this route to 50 km per hour.
At many critical sites, the department has worked with its contractors to improve the road's physical grade and alignment. The department will continue, year by year, to bring the right-of-way up to a better traveling standard and continue installing permanent bridges over stream crossings.
With the close involvement and cooperation of the municipality of Norman Wells, the department built a bypass around the community to move heavy truck traffic away from local streets. A similar bypass is proposed in Tulita.
The department also worked closely with industry to limit the impact of industry traffic on the general public. During the height of the last season, the department conducted highway patrols to ensure industry's compliance with trucking regulations generally and particularly in regard to the movement of oversized loads.
The department has also made improvement to the winter road from a management perspective. The Department of Transportation is using partnership opportunities with industry to more efficiently and effectively operate the winter road.
The Department of Transportation spends approximately $1.1 million each year on the annual construction and maintenance of the Mackenzie Valley winter road. Industry has reported they have spent up to $5 million each season to improve sections of the roadway to the point where they can safely and effectively move their rigs to support their exploration activities.
The Department of Industry, with Husky Energy acting as the industry "lead," explored numerous partnership opportunities and road management models that could be applied to improve planning and promote operational efficiencies of the annual Mackenzie Valley winter road operation.
Through this cooperative approach, the department developed a financial agreement that would provide a mechanism for industry to pay for the additional costs of providing an enhanced construction and maintenance program to better meet industry's special needs. Through this partnership arrangement, the department can maintain management control over the operation of the winter road system and delivery on industry's needs utilizing winter road contractors at no additional cost to the GNWT.
The Department of Transportation has made significant improvements to the winter road system and tried to remedy the traffic safety concerns that the Sahtu communities had raised. Over the next several years, the department will continue to work on improving the Sahtu winter roads. These improvements will meet the demands of greater traffic and the public's expectations that they can travel the road more safety. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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