LandKeepers News Archive
Province to ante up $600,000 to improve road
March 19 2009 | News Articles | Prince George Citizen
The province is putting up $600,000 to improve safety conditions on the Finlay-Causeway Forest Service Road north of Mackenzie.
Gordon Hoekstra
Prince George Citizen
March 19, 2009
The funding comes from $20 million the B.C. government has committed to improve conditions on Forest Service Roads in the next two years.
The funding will be used to re-surface 14 kilometres of gravel road with calcium chloride, a chemical that helps create a smooth surface and cuts dust.
B.C. Forests Minister Pat Bell noted the project will also help support local jobs and improve the connection between Mackenzie and area communities.
The Finlay-Causeway Forest Service Road provides access for up to 600 residents in the communities of Germansen Landing, Manson Creek, Fort Ware and Tsay Keh.
The Finlay Causeway will also serve as the initial leg of the proposed Mackenzie to Fort St. James connector. The proposed route would consist of the Finlay-Causeway, Finlay-Philips and Rainbow Forest Service roads.
The connector road is considered by the communities of Mackenzie and Fort St. James as being important to each other and Terrane Metals’ proposed $917-million Mount Milligan gold and copper mine.
The mine, which just received environmental approval from the provincial government, is expected to create 600 construction jobs and 300 permanent jobs over its 15-year life. The mine still needs federal approval.
The forests ministry is providing technical and engineering services to support the District of Mackenzie’s work on a detailed proposal and funding request for the connector road project.
“The engineering studies are an important step towards opening up more economic opportunities and creating a shorter, safer and more direct link between Mackenzie and Fort St. James,” said Prince George-Omineca MLA John Rustad.
Road safety, including over poor visibility from dust, has been an issue on forest roads in the Mackenzie area. There have been serious crashes as a result of dust on the Mackenzie-area forest road network, noted MaryAnne Arcand, who heads up the TruckSafe program for the B.C. Forests Safety Council. “It’s a very good project,” she said.
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