Thank you, Mr. Neudorf. Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just getting back to what the Minister just said, I didn't say to open it up from Norman Wells to Tsiigehtchic. There is already the fibre optic line going to Inuvik, to Campbell Lake. That is the actual route, the Mackenzie Highway I believe. In the future, hopefully, it is no use trying to open up another section over land. May as well use the same route. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. Would the Minister like to respond?
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The fibre optic line. I had the opportunity to go out there, and it is not a very wide right-of-way that they produced. We would, at the appropriate time, if the funding came available, we would obviously want to have a look at accessing that portion of the right-of-way as much as we could. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Seeing nothing further, are there any further questions on page 417? Mr. Thompson.
Mr. Chair, thank you. I am glad -- I almost missed this. In regards to the Deh Cho bridge and the maintenance, does the Minister know what the (because I don't see it in here) what the cost is to actually provide the maintenance on this bridge? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will default that to Mr. Neudorf.
Thank you. Mr. Neudorf.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The budget does not break out the specific amounts for Deh Cho bridge. When the Deh Cho bridge was brought into service, for the annual incremental O and M cost associated with the bridge, it was about $200,000 to $250,000 that we received. There was also some additional money that included surface maintenance, applying additional chemicals, and sweeping of the bridge. Then some additional monitoring of the bridge itself, some inspections. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Neudorf. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I thank the deputy minister for that answer. My understanding is these are new additions on the scope of the bridge, like lighting and the cattle gate. Is that part of the maintenance cost? Was it factored in? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Neudorf.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. If the Member is referring to the installation of the cattle gate and the lighting system, that was all part of the capital cost of the project. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Neudorf. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I was actually talking about the maintenance on it. Was that part of the $250K or with the other additions? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Neudorf.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes. Maintenance and all aspects of the bridge would be part of that 200 to $250,000 that we had received. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Neudorf. Mr. Thompson.
I have been informed that there was a metal gantry under the catwalk underneath, and it is gone to wood, or is that correct? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Neudorf.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. As part of the construction of the bridge, a wooden catwalk was constructed by the contractor. That was used during construction, and once construction was over, that was removed. As part of the design, we had considered installing a permanent metal catwalk under the bridge. After it was costed out, it was deemed too expensive, and we did not include that as part of the bridge. It would be nice for some types of inspections to get underneath, but we have what is called a snooper truck. It has a cantilevered arm boom on it that can drive along the surface of the road and have a cage that would have an individual to do inspections that can be in that cage and can go anywhere underneath the bridge and can see what is happening on the bridge. We don't actually need that permanent catwalk. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Neudorf. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the deputy minister for his answers. It clears up a number of questions that I have had. There was a bunch of rock last time I went across. Is that a capital issue or a maintenance issue, that it is still sitting there? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Neudorf.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am not sure what rock exactly is being referred to. Protection of the piers by installation of scour rock is a very significant aspect of the bridge. So one of the last things that we did was to actually monitor that, where that scour rock was underneath the water, and undertake some additional shaping of that to ensure that it is protecting the piers from any potential scour. There might have been some of that scour rock left over in a pile that can be there for future maintenance purposes. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Neudorf. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think the deputy minister answered the question. You guys do have a regular maintenance schedule to look at the pier and all that area? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Neudorf.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes. A structure like that, and in a river like that, there is obviously some significant forces on it and some significant monitoring that is required in order to ensure that it continues to function as it is designed and supposed to, and that we are ahead of any potential issues that may come up. So we do have an inspection program that takes care, looks, monitors all of those aspects of the bridge. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Neudorf. I see nothing further from Mr. Thompson. Mr. Vanthuyne.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. a couple of questions. First off, the section of Highway No. 4 from Niven Gate to the city of Yellowknife, or into the city at the corner of the Explorer Hotel, most folks know and the department, I know, is well aware that this section of road is being used a lot for active transportation, whether it is bikers, walkers, runners, what have you. There is a large number of residents that, with a growing population out in the Niven Lake area, that are using that section of road quite regularly. I wonder if the department can provide us an update with regard to will there be repairs on that road? That road is in extensive need of repair on an ongoing basis. There is a development going in on that road, a new hotel. I expect there is going to be work done to get water and sewer across the roadway as well, proper entranceways made into that development. There was talk at some point of having this particular section of the road turned over to the city of Yellowknife, but they don't want to take responsibility until the necessary repairs have been done. Then, lastly, it seems like there is water trying to transfer from Frame Lake to Niven Lake constantly through that road. It is acting like a dam. Will there be appropriate repairs made to that surface of that road to make it safe, possibly widening the shoulders and as well adding culverts to that road? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister Schumann.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. First of all, the road from Niven to the Explorer is safe, otherwise we probably wouldn't have it open. So the road is safe. We are doing a planning study, looking at what we are going to do to upgrade a couple of sections of that road. This is something that I have had conversations with just lately. We are working with the developer on his access to the new hotel that is across the highway from the Legislative Assembly. We are also in ongoing discussions with the city of Yellowknife. All of us are working together trying to come up with a plan of what we are going to do with this section of road moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. Vanthuyne.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So to be clear, there is a plan coming forward on what maintenance, repairs, or upgrades are going to be taking place on this highway? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The short answer is yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. Vanthuyne.
Will the plan, Mr. Chair, be consisting of taking in some degree of public consultation? I ask that because there are concerns raised by the public as it relates to that road. They want the opportunity to share their issues on what they might want to see as improvements on the road in order to be able to access it regularly for active transportation. Or will it simply be the intention of the department to just keep it a vehicular highway and not an active transportation thoroughfare as well? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We have already had ongoing consultation and extensive discussions with Ecology North on the use of this road and with the city about the uses of it. Anyone that wants to come talk to us about their concerns about this section of highway, we would gladly sit down and discuss that with them as well. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. Vanthuyne.
Interpreting that, I have heard the Minister say that the public's comments will be inclusive of the plan. Is that correct? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Of course they will be. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Mr. Vanthuyne.
Further to active transportation, Mr. Chair, there is a portion of Highway No. 3 near the turnoff to Highway No. 4, commonly referred to as the airport loop, that the shoulder was lessened when the extra lane was put in to make the turnoff onto Ingraham Trail (Highway No. 4.) Does the department have a plan to bring the common width of the shoulder back on that section of the road again for the purposes of safety of people using it for active transportation? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We have no immediate plans to widen that section there. We will continue to monitor it and have discussions with whoever need be with concerns moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
