Users of the Copper Haul Road may temporarily lose access as the City of Whitehorse is planning work that will make the route more resilient to flooding.
The dirt road, a former piece of mining infrastructure that now sees primarily recreational use, runs roughly parallel to the Alaska Highway from the disused copper mine pits near the Whitehorse landfill to south of Mount Sima.
Because the repairs and upgrades are expected to cost more than $500,000, the project went before Whitehorse city council at the city’s Jan. 22 standing committee meeting for information prior to a future vote approving the work and putting it to tender.
The planned work involves replacing culverts and stabilizing the road towards its north end.
“For 2024, two large diameter twin culverts will be replaced with a larger pipe arch to address ongoing issues with the existing culverts,” reads the project summary that was submitted to council.
Funds for the project were first approved in the city’s 2022-2025 capital spending plan. The money comes from the Canada Community-Building Fund, a federal government infrastructure endowment.
Council heard that the main reason for the work is the flooding in the springs of 2021 and 2022 that caused Fish Creek to flow over the road. City engineering manager Taylor Eshpeter told council that the flooding was due to frost jacking and erosion around the existing culverts coupled with the above-average snowpack and streamflow that the region experienced those years.
Engineering and detailed design have been completed and all necessary permitting is in place.
Work includes the removal of the existing culverts and their replacement with an “engineered pipe arch” fitted with baffles to allow the safe passage of fish.
Work will go out for tender. The city expects an overall cost of about $633,000.
Looking ahead to the future, Eshpeter said the city is also planning the replacement of three additional culverts and the fortifying parts of the road against future washouts.
Coun. Dan Boyd asked for the city administration’s perspective on the road’s value. Eshpeter described the road’s recreational uses by dog sled teams, snowmobilers and skiers among others, as well as its use as a point of access for fire smarting and other wildfire protection work.
“I think it’s important that we do the work. It does come with a quite a hefty price tag, I must say. So it’s good to know it’s used year-round and by various citizens,” said Mayor Laura Cabott.
The mayor asked whether the public’s use of the road would be disrupted during construction. Eshpeter said there will be a full closure of the road but it is too early to say how long it will be; he said communication will go out to the public about it.
Eshpeter told council that the goal of the project is to keep the road passable and culverts will be required to do that.
Contact Jim Elliot at jim.elliot@yukon-news.com