FORT MCMURRAY (660NEWS) — The Fort Chipewyan winter road will close March 23 due to warmer temperatures. The load limit has also been reduced to 5,000 kg.
Anyone needing to use the winter road for essential travel is encouraged to do so as soon as possible. There will be no vehicle access to Fort Chipewyan after noon on Tuesday, March 23. Gates will be locked, and rig mats removed.
City officials say using the winter road when it’s closed is strictly prohibited and extremely dangerous.
Effective immediately, the load limit on the winter road is 5,000 kg, with the exception of heavier loads leaving Fort Chipewyan and travelling south. Vehicles heavier than 5,000 kg are not permitted to travel north on the winter road.
Daytime load restrictions remain in effect for heavier vehicles travelling south. From 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. the load limit for southbound traffic is 40,000 kg and during the day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. the load limit is 5,000 kg.
4×4 vehicles with high clearance recommended.
With the warmer weather, snow is melting and the 120 km section of the winter road through the sandhills is soft with ruts and potholes. Vehicles with four-by-four and high clearance are strongly recommended.
Crews continue to grade the road every night and perform regular maintenance to help ensure the route remains safe and accessible.
And a new release from the city says Winter Maintenance Zones (WMZ) are relaxed until further notice. This means on-street WMZ parking restrictions are not in effect and vehicles may park on the street without being ticketed or towed.
In the coming weeks, residents will have an opportunity to share their thoughts on winter maintenance this past season through a WMZ survey and online public engagement opportunities. An official announcement will be made once the WMZ public engagement launches, and the survey is available.
