Winter Roads in Manitoba
While road construction generally begins to wane with the onset of
winter, the opposite is true for the construction of Manitoba’s
winter roads. Constructed in cold weather, the Manitoba winter road
network follows the path of least resistance, traversing natural
terrain features such as muskeg, lakes, rivers and creeks.
With the first snow of the winter, lightweight equipment such as
snowmobiles are used to pack the snow on both land and ice areas to
lessen the insulating effect and thus allow the frost to penetrate
deeper into the ground. As the ground hardens, heavy graders and
snowplows are used to scrape away excess snow while ensuring that
the roadway is sufficiently covered with snow to remain reflective,
so that heat from the sun is not absorbed and the road remains
frozen.
For long ice crossings, such as over a lake, tree markers are
placed to define the route, which is typically about 60 meters wide.
As soon as the ice is capable of supporting snow removal equipment,
the path is plowed clear, so as to allow the ice to form naturally.
On short ice crossings, such as across a river, the ice is cleared
and flooded one or more times until it reaches the required
thickness. Ice crossings must be able to support loads of up to
36,500 kg providing the speed of vehicles is kept to a maximum of 15
km per hour and vehicles are spaced at least one kilometer apart.
These winter roads not only facilitate the hauling of freight to
northern and remote communities, but also provide the residents with
temporary inter-community travel as well as road access to the rest
of the province. Northern Manitobans in nine eastern and sixteen
northern Manitoba communities are served by these roads during a
brief period of about eight weeks from mid-January to early March,
however, the prevailing weather conditions can shorten or extend
this period by as much as two weeks.
Manitoba’s winter road system dates back to the 1950’s. It was
built by private construction companies to provide a means of
transporting freight to isolated northern communities that would be
less costly than air transport. Freight was transported on a string
of sleighs (cat trains) pulled by track dozers. However, the cat
train method was slow and cumbersome, restricting the amount of
freight that could be transported.
In 1971, the Province, through it’s Department of Northern
Affairs, assumed responsibility for construction and maintenance of
the winter road network. Under Provincial auspices, the roads were
upgraded to a standard that would accommodate truck access.
Supervision of the system was transferred to the Manitoba Department
of Transportation in 1978, where it remains today.
Use of the road system requires considerable safety precautions.
Adverse weather conditions and wave action on ice crossings can
seriously affect the viability of the route. The Department of
Transportation schedules pre-season meetings with truckers to
acquaint them with the prevailing conditions and the precautions to
be taken. Generally, inspectors assess all sections of the winter
road system at least once every 48 hours, weather permitting.
Portions of the road may be closed as deemed necessary.
The construction and maintenance of Manitoba’s winter roads are
examples of projects that reflect the remote access and northern
development strategies for meeting the transportation needs of each
community on the winter road system. The Province recognizes the
important role the winter road system plays in overcoming social and
economic challenges facing the northern and remote communities in
Manitoba.
Since 1999, spending on the seasonal road system has tripled,
with the aim of using more overland routes, improving safety,
allowing the roads to stay open longer each season, reducing
construction difficulties and addressing environmental concerns. To
achieve these objectives, the Province has identified a number of
strategies, including the relocation of existing winter roads, the
construction of new roads as well as upgrading existing winter and
forestry roads, and exploring enhanced rail and ferry services.
The initiative is a part of the government’s broader access and
northern development strategies, which require that government
departments co-ordinate their efforts to meet the objectives of the
strategies and make northern development a priority in their
everyday decision-making.
The winter road system, the majority of which is funded jointly
with the federal government, is managed and monitored by the
Province. The construction and maintenance work is generally
contracted out to the communities involved, creating local
employment opportunities.
The Manitoba winter road system, far from typical in its mode of
construction, maintenance, and use, provides an excellent example of
adaptation to unusual circumstances.
DISCLAIMER: Information presented has been compiled from
sources believed to be current and reliable; however, it cannot be
assumed that all acceptable safety measures, current road conditions
and general winter road information are contained in this web site
or that other additional measures, road conditions and general
winter road information may not be required under particular or
exceptional circumstances. Road users are responsible to familiarize
themselves with all safety issues, routes travelled and general
winter road information provided in this web site. |