Changes to the Fort Chipewyan winter road are coming this year.

The road, tentatively scheduled to open to light vehicles on December 15, is under construction to improve reliability and safety for travelers.

“We know the Fort Chipewyan community relies on the winter road to connect with southern communities and bring essential supplies into the hamlet and surrounding area,” said Director of Public Works, Keith Smith.

“Opening the winter road on schedule and reaching the 45,000-kilogram load limit quickly and maintaining it for as long as possible is a priority and the adjustments we’ve made help these efforts.”

Upgrades to the road include a new route that will add around 22 km to the trip by connecting to the all-season road near the airport, north of the community.

The route will also allow safer delivery of heavy and dangerous goods as they will no longer pass through the centre of the community.

A map of the new road and the changes are available.

Road opening is dependent on weather and will be updated across multiple platforms.