Mr. Speaker, the new Highway 4 realignment opened to traffic on January 31st. Residents now bypass the remediation work underway at the former Giant Mine site and travel on a safer highway with better turns and sight lines. It is an important infrastructure investment toward ensuring responsible stewardship and providing jobs and business opportunities to dozens of Northerners.
This work started last summer with the construction of a new entrance. More than 250,000 cubic meters of rock were moved and used as sub-base and base materials for the road. The Department thanks residents and users of the nearby Fred Henne Territorial Park for their cooperation during the necessary drilling, blasting and crushing operations.
A temporary lighting system is in place at the Highway 3 intersection. Later, a permanent system will be installed this summer when we upgrade the Ingraham Trail between the Vee Lake access road and the Yellowknife River and finish applying chipseal.
Mr. Speaker, administrative, engineering, and construction jobs for this project have largely been filled by our very own Northerners. As of the end of November 2013, the bypass project had created 8,677 person/days of employment for Northern and local workers. The contractor, Det’on Cho Corporation, is wholly owned by the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. Several local companies were subcontracted to complete the design and build the project successfully, with an overall average of nearly 86% local and northern employment. Mr. Speaker, it is good to see the opportunities for skill building and success through this project.
Mr. Speaker, the new alignment means that residents are able to enjoy a new view of the territory’s natural surroundings. The Department of Transportation has been working closely with the Department of Industry, Tourism, and Investment to modify the Prospector’s Trail to include a new pull out, provide access to a new mining heritage location, and create a new lake trail loop so residents can stop to appreciate the land.
Mr. Speaker, I am confident that the bypass project will contribute to the safety and enjoyment of residents for many years to come.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.