The Services Company is working with DeBeers to upgrade the Winter Road to meet the requirements of the communities and DeBeers. This will make travel on the road much safer for all users. These upgrades are important because the road continues to be used heavily by community members to visit family in other communities, get supplies from Moosonee, transport firewood, and to get to traplines.
This year there will be many more Victor mine-related loads on the road as compared to last year. Last year there were about 650 loads of mine materials and 500 loads of fuel transported on the Winter Road. This year, it is anticipated that there will be 2,800 mine-related loads plus 700 loads of fuel.
The types of upgrades that are planned include:
Addition of a separate, groomed snowmobile trail alongside the road
Widening the road right of way to 30m, so that a 12 to 15m road bed and a 3m snowmobile trail can be constructed with room to pile snow cleared from the road and snowmobile trail
Some straightening of the road to reduce sharp curves and improve sight lines
Upgrades to ramps and approaches to the creeks and rivers
Increased scarification of the road surface
Improved signage
The Services Company is expecting that the permitting applications will be submitted in mid-October so that construction of the upgrades can begin in mid-November. The construction of the road itself will begin in mid-December, weather permitting.
Road Safety – Everyone’s Responsibility
Safe use of the road by all users is the primary concern of the Services Company and we will work to ensure that the road is constructed in manner that will make the road safe and enjoyable to use. The road users must also be aware that responsible driving and reasonable speeds contribute the most towards making the road a safe place to be; and that the recommended speed on the winter road is 50km/ hour.
As usage of the road by community members and commercial traffic continues to increase, all users of the road will need to be extra careful and make sure they keep their speed at or below 50 km/hour and share the road.
Visit www.jamesbaywinterroad.com
For more tips and information on the road.
