Caroline Wawzonek: 2023 Transportation Infrastructure Improvement Projects

Déclarations et discours de ministres

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Mr. Speaker, transportation infrastructure plays a crucial role in connecting people, ensuring effective supply chains and creating opportunities for economic growth.

Today I would like to highlight recent successes in our continued efforts to improve the transportation networks towards to improve accessibility and road safety across the territory.

For example, in 2023 the Department of Infrastructure completed 158 kilometres of chipseal overlay on Highways 2, 4, and 5 as well as along the Dettah access road. Highways 1, 3, 4, 7 and 8 also saw rehabilitation work such as embankment widening and drainage improvement, the Fort Good Hope Bridge deck replacement was successful and the first phase of rehabilitation work was completed on the Whatı̀ Access Road.

Mr. Speaker, in addition to improving the existing highway system, the Department of Infrastructure is also working on advancing new road projects.

In the Sahtu region, the construction of Phase one of the Prohibition Creek Access Road was substantially completed in the fall of 2023 and forms part of the future Mackenzie Valley Highway. Total completion of this 6.7-kilometre all-season-road, located just south of Norman Wells along the existing Mackenzie Valley Winter Road alignment, is anticipated by this fall.

In October of last year we achieved a significant milestone in the Environmental Assessment process for the Mackenzie Valley Highway when we submitted our Developer’s Assessment Report to the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board. This report, which is now undergoing a public review process led by the Board, is a comprehensive collection of several years of environmental and socio-economic data and public engagement.

Phase one of the proposed Slave Geological Province Corridor project is underway. To support planning for the proposed Lockhart All-Season Road, the GNWT has acquired a Type A Land Use Permit through the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board. This permit allows the GNWT to conduct geotechnical investigations from Tibbitt Lake to Lockhart Lake, work which will help inform routing discussions associated with this project.

Mr. Speaker, airports are also an essential part of our transportation system. Communities across the territory depend on air travel for the movement of goods and people, as well as air ambulances, search and rescue, forest fire response and much more. I am pleased to share that the Inuvik Airport runway extension is well underway, with material extraction almost 90% complete, and runway widening nearing the 80% completion mark.

Mr. Speaker, maintaining and enhancing our transportation network as we face the impacts from a changing climate is challenging. In addition to long standing obstacles like remote locations and high cost of construction, we must also consider factors like degrading permafrost in the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of our transportation projects.

The department continues to work in partnership with universities and other research organizations to find solutions using more sustainable design and construction techniques. Several research projects are ongoing on Highway 3 where emerging road design technologies and innovative materials were put in place in 2012 for testing, and their performance continues to be monitored. The ongoing results inform how we complete maintenance and upgrades on that technically difficult stretch of highway.

I look forward to bringing successful improvement projects updates forward in Sessions to come.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.