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Robert Service Way set for 24/7 reopening

Road and nearby trail won’t close overnight as of May 29
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Robert Service Way was open to traffic as of 7:30 a.m. on May 26. (Jim Elliot/Yukon News)

The City of Whitehorse is planning a full reopening of Robert Service Way and the Millennium trail which have been at least periodically closed since an April 8 landslide.

The full reopening set for the evening of May 29 is a departure from the 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. opening of the road and trail that has been in place for weeks. As recently as May 26, a 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. extended opening was planned with a 24/7 reopening pledged once the escarpment had stabilized

An earlier plan for 24/7 opening set for May 25 was scrubbed after the city reported an unforeseen change in conditions. In the May 25 notice the city stated that the road will have to close temporarily in the future for the removal of the berms and barriers that are presently leading to constricted traffic flow. The city states that this work will be done in non-peak traffic hours as much as possible.

“Landslides along the escarpment and Robert Service Way are now a regular occurrence and spring closures should be expected annually until a permanent solution can be found. While the city is now exploring a long-term solution for the escarpment along Robert Service Way, any solution that could stabilize the slope would constitute a major project and require extensive design,” the May 29 notice about the full reopening reads.

(Jim Elliot)



Jim Elliot

About the Author: Jim Elliot

I’m a B.C. transplant here in Whitehorse at The News telling stories about the Yukon's people, environment, and culture.
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