Ice roads are opening about one week earlier compared to 2019. (Facebook)

By Derek Cornet

Remote Communities

Northern ice roads begin opening to light traffic

Feb 5, 2020 | 5:00 PM

Ice roads from Stony Rapids to Fond du Lac and Uranium City opened today to light traffic.

That’s according to Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure spokesperson David Horth, who said traffic is currently limited to vehicles up to 9,888 kilograms. He noted the ice road to Wollaston Lake was also profiled today and could open Thursday depending on the results.

“It depends on the condition of the ice,” Horth said. “It’s not really a question about thickness, it’s a question about strength. What we do is we test the ice. We have a ground penetrating radar and we open roads, whenever we do open them, to whatever the ice can safely hold.”

The ice road to Uranium City, for example, currently has a minimum thickness of 40 centimetres and can safely hold light traffic. Horth added contractors who build the roads continually monitor them and the weight allowed on the ice increase as the ice does. The maximum weight allowed on ice roads in Saskatchewan is 34,500 kilograms under optimal conditions.

Horth was unsure when the ice roads would open to heavier traffic, but mentioned it all depends on the weather. Compared to 2019, the road to Fond du Lac is open one week earlier.

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“We don’t control the climate and they rely on whatever the conditions are that allows the ice to freeze,” he said. “All we know is we can’t put traffic on the ice until we’re confident we can put traffic on that ice safely. We really are at the mercy of nature.”

Horth said the ministry continues to fund the construction of ice roads because it’s the way most heavy supplies are delivered to remote communities during the winter months.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno