The NDP dug into the government Wednesday over lingering questions and mounting opposition around plans to upgrade the Alaska Highway through Whitehorse.

The changes, officially unveiled last month, would come at an estimated cost of $202 million.

The territory has slated more than one-quarter of that for the first phase, which would widen the corridor between Robert Service Way and Two Mile Hill to four lanes.

The work would also improve current intersections and construct new ones, and install new frontage roads to provide safer access to the highway.

Highways and Public Works critic Lois Moorcroft pointed to business owners affected by the upgrade and demanded their concerns be addressed.

“Area business owners are opposed to the plan and say it’s too much, too complicated and too costly. They think the $202-million plan responds to a problem that doesn’t exist,” she told the legislature.

Reacting to the plan, businesses along the route have formed the Alaska Highway Corridor Business Association.

They’ve hired an engineer to produce an alternative design, one that doesn’t encroach as heavily on parking areas or plow through existing buildings — an issue in at least one case.

“This affects way more businesses than people think,” said Bruce Henry, owner of Centennial Motors, located across from the Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport.

“We’re very business-dense, especially when you include the industrial corridors,” he said today.

The highway runs past Burns Road — home to moving and trades companies — the McRae Industrial Park and the Taylor Industrial Subdivision, noted Henry, one of the drivers behind the business association.

D’arcy Olynyk, who owns the Airport Chalet, has said the new highway design cuts right through his hotel and would come at enormous expense.

Moorcroft highlighted concerns voiced online about a lack of sound barriers in the Takhini area, the impact on Squatter’s Road residences and pedestrian and bicycle trails, and the cost of infill to twin the highway.

“There are so many questions that this government must answer before it should proceed,” she said.

The deadline for public comment is May 15.

“Why the rush? This is too little time for the public to consider whether such a massive expenditure of public funds is warranted,” Moorcroft added.

“Does the government have a tender ready to go for May 16, no matter what the public says, or will the government extend the consultation period on the Alaska Highway corridor?”

Highways and Public Works Minister Scott Kent defended the two-month consultation period along with an online comment process. He assured the Opposition that worries would be dealt with.

“The public and industry is getting an opportunity, as they should, to have their say, and I will meet face-to-face with those business owners to listen to and address their concerns where we can,” he told the House Wednesday.

Hours before the afternoon legislative session, Kent reached out to Olynyk of the Airport Chalet and set up a meeting.

“This is very much a long-term plan — a long-term vision — for improving an important piece of infrastructure, and we are going to work through the consultation phase before we make any decisions,” Kent said.

“Clearly, the public consultation is working. We are receiving feedback from Yukoners. They are engaged.”

The goal of the highway upgrade is to address issues around safety and traffic congestions in the midst of a rising Whitehorse population — now close to 28,000 — of 24 per cent over the last decade.

The plans were outlined last March with officials from CH2M HILL Canada outlining the changes.

A website, mail-out survey to all Yukoners, phone number, email address and public open houses are currently being used to collect thoughts on the project from residents of the territory.

Preliminary work on the Whitehorse corridor began in 2011 with a number of Yukon government studies on road safety, environment and highway capacity.

CH2M was eventually contracted to do the functional plan on improvements needed for the highway through Whitehorse to bring it up to current standards and guidelines.

The plan breaks the highway corridor into 10 segments outlining which segments would have priority, what work would be needed for each and a cost-benefit analysis for each section.

High-priority sections – and the estimated cost of $52 million – would see work done over the next five years.

Medium-priority areas – north of Two Mile Hill to just north of Kathleen Road – would be needed by the time the city’s population reaches 35,000 (expected around 2031 based on a population growth of two per cent).

It’s estimated the medium-term work would cost $50 million.

Long-term improvements would include sections just south of Gentian Lane to McLean Lake Road and from north of Kathleen Road to the city’s northern boundary.

Those improvements would cost an estimated $100 million and be needed as the population reaches 47,000.