It’s a follow-up on my Member’s statement with regard to the conditions on Highway No. 7.
I’d just like to ask the Minister of Transportation: with regard to emergency deterioration of highways, what exactly classifies for emergency roadwork on our highway systems? Is it something like the sinkhole on Highway No. 5 or situations such as this on Highway No. 7, where the base has completely eroded and it’s actually just a strip of mud there? Exactly what would be considered for emergency funding?
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Yakeleya.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to thank the Member for his question on the highway emergency stoppage of our roads. Highway transportation, from our department and officials.... The safety of the travelling public is number one. When we deem there are safety issues that jeopardize the lives of people who travel on the highway, we will take great measures to close the highway, to fix it up, and to ensure those safety measures are in place on the highway and, when the highways are opened, that the public is aware of the safety measures in place for their own safety.
With the thawing out in the spring and the amount of water in some of those sections of highway, we take extra precautions in terms of safety for our travelling public. This Highway No. 7 right now is closed for safety reasons.
Absolutely. As I said in my Member’s statement, it’s regretful that the highway has to close, because the conditions are impossible. It has actually happened on the long weekend as well, Mr. Speaker. Constituents and the travelling public contacted my office. They’re saying that there’s no signage there; what’s going on? Why are people getting stuck in that highway? And why wasn’t it closed earlier? I’m not too sure why they didn’t close it any earlier there. But like I said, regretfully, they’ve closed it now.
Now that the condition exists, that they’ve recognized it, I’d like to know what the plans would be to repair it and not just to allow it to dry up and blade it over.
Mr. Speaker, our department is working very closely with the contractor who takes care of Highway No. 7 — parts of the highway. We are working closely with the community; we are working closely with the contractors and thus would look at some of the plans to open that highway as quickly as possible. We are looking at the situation.
The weather is not on our side at this time, in terms of the type of weather we have to operate in; however, I will keep the Member informed in terms of how soon we could make it passable for people in the Nahendeh riding to drive over. Also, we ask the public to contact the regional office through our telephone system to have some warning of the conditions of the roads at this time in the Northwest Territories.
Absolutely, getting the highway back up and running for the travelling public.... A lot of people do travel to Fort Liard and Fort Simpson as well as head over to Providence and Yellowknife, Mr. Speaker. We’re on the edge of the tourism season, as well.
But my question again, Mr. Speaker, is that these sections obviously need rebasing and to be re-strengthened. I’d like to know: will the department declare this an emergency and provide the necessary funding to repair the road up to acceptable highway standards? Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, I said before that the department is working closely with the contractor for that section of road. We do have resources there; we are looking at the situation. I’m waiting for the report from my officials to see the type of assessment and analysis and recommendations they would consider for this road. My understanding is that they are working on it as quickly as possible. At this time I would wait to give further direction as to what the Member’s asking for, in terms of emergency funding for that specific section of the road.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Getting it back up and running up to acceptable standards is key and paramount to me and to my constituents. I just want to reiterate, Mr. Speaker, and get some type of commitment from the Minister that these sections will be declared emergency road repairs and that they’ll provide the necessary resources to rebase so — I don’t want to say “washouts,” because actually the road turned into mud is what happened — this won’t happen in the future. Because it’s been happening for many, many years now.
As you know, these roads in the Northwest Territories are very challenging to the department. We have special, unique, harsh climates to worry about in terms of how our roads are put together. That’s why this department is investing strongly in our roads, as the Premier’s indicated in his budget speech, with strong investment to all the region.
You know, Mr. Speaker, that Nahendeh in the last year, 2007–2008, had the highest percentage of investment as a constituency in transportation areas. So we will continue working on the system infrastructure. Once we know that, we will put our initiative toward opening up the roads for the people of Nahendeh and Liard who use that road. The priority in our government is safety, and we want to make sure that safety of all the travelling public is foremost with all our officials working in the department.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
