Highways and Public Works Minister Richard Mostyn says work could start next year on the Robert Campbell Highway between Ross River and Faro.
The minister was questioned about the lack of of progress on the 68-km stretch of road in the legislative assembly March 6.
Though he avoided making any promises in the house, Mostyn told media afterwards that he will be asking cabinet to approve money for the road in next year’s budget.
“I anticipate that next year if I can get the money out of the budget, we’ll start construction of that road between Faro and Ross River. I’ll be asking cabinet for those funds next year and we’ll see how it goes.”
This year the government has approved about half a million dollars to plan and design the roadwork, Mostyn told reporters.
He couldn’t say how much money he plans to ask for in next year’s budget.
He said the plan is to “start from Faro, start to move to Ross, and then to points beyond that.”
Some reconstruction work on the Robert Campbell Highway is happening this year but it is focused on a stretch between the Watson Lake Airport access, kilometre 10, and the Tuchitua highway maintenance camp at kilometre 114, Mostyn told the house.
There is no mention of the roadwork between Ross River and Faro in the Yukon’s five-year capital plan. Mostyn suggested that might be because the design work hasn’t been done yet and the money hasn’t been approved by cabinet.
Contact Ashley Joannou at ashleyj@yukon-news.com