Although there has not been a landslide off the escarpment overlooking Robert Service Way so far this year, proactive efforts to prepare for one have begun.
The roadway beneath the escarpment, which serves as the primary access to downtown Whitehorse from the south, has been closed by landslides in both of the last two springs.
According to a notice from the City of Whitehorse, the city is starting work in the area affected by slides in past years overnight on March 26 and 27. The traffic lanes of Robert Service Way will be shifted away from the bottom of the escarpment on March 26 and 27, with the move expected to be completed by the morning of the 28th.
The road is expected to remain open to vehicle traffic throughout the process, but the city is urging motorists to exercise caution and obey signs. The Millennium Trail, which runs parallel to the road between it and the Yukon River, will also remain open.
“The aim of this work is to reduce the impact of potential landslides by creating extra space between the escarpment and traffic,” a March 26 notice from the city reads.
Also planned following the shift of the roadway is the removal of material from along the base of the escarpment with the stated goal of creating space for more material in the event that a landslide does take place this spring.
Last week, the city informed the public that it had switched on the radar slope scanner that gives the city real-time information about movement of the escarpment’s face. As of March 21, no movement had been detected.
The city is still awaiting word on the success of its request for funding through the federal government’s disaster mitigation and adaptation fund that would pay for the design and construction of a permanent solution to escarpment stability.
(Jim Elliot)