Slide area continues to be monitored
Robert Service Way remains closed because of the Apr. 30 mudslide.
Robert Service Way remains closed because of the Apr. 30 mudslide.
Jordan Lutz, a communication officer with the City of Whitehorse, said this morning the engineering team, which includes a slide specialist from down south, continues to monitor the slide area daily.
There remains a risk of further slides, and there is no word on when crews might be able to begin to clear the roadway, he said.
It’s estimated that approximately 2,000 cubic metres of dirt came down, taking out the railway track, trees and the guard rail before coming to rest on the Yukon River ice.
Security has been posted at both ends of the road closure to ensure access is prevented, even on foot.
Comments (20)
Up 17 Down 4
Groucho d'North on May 14, 2022 at 9:10 am
God help us if a real high impact disaster lands on the Yukon. All this dithering and make it up as we go response approach is already a failure. There should be plans in place for dealing with events like a land slide closing a major community access and egress. Already ambulances and other emergency vehicles must take the long way around to serve the public's needs south of town. Instead of worrying about climate change sometime in the future, focus on risks, impacts and responses for here and now.
Up 27 Down 5
The Other Dave on May 13, 2022 at 2:30 pm
According to CBC it will be closed for three more weeks, so that’s going to be 5 weeks closure in total for this mud on the road. Really at this point what can be said about that level of absurdity?
Up 27 Down 6
Dave on May 13, 2022 at 6:19 am
The Yukon is the definition of AMATEUR HOUR. It’s just hilarious really.
Up 6 Down 7
My Opinion on May 12, 2022 at 4:07 pm
Well said proverb!
Up 5 Down 10
Mitch Holder on May 12, 2022 at 3:27 pm
@ Vern - That is the existential crisis we face, yes. When low self esteem becomes a danger to us all......
Up 16 Down 10
Mitch Holder on May 12, 2022 at 3:26 pm
More proof that every level of governance in Canada cannot govern itself out of a wet paper bag. Let's boycott city taxes until this is rectified.
Up 14 Down 7
CJ2 on May 12, 2022 at 12:41 pm
Is this the best local media can do? Publishing a press release from the city about this extended road closure? Surely the officials involved have been more engaged than just waiting around for...whatever.
If the estimate about the quantity of fill that fell is accurate, it's going to take weeks to clean up, after they finally decide to make a move. The impact of tying up equipment during construction season is pretty dispiriting to think about. I'm sure other, even more important, issues are on other people's minds.
I'm tempted to say I had no idea the city was so deficient with the nuts and bolts of operations, except the snowplowing debacle was all too prescient.
Two weeks ago, I was thinking Laura Cabott seemed born to be a mayor. That is not the direction my thoughts are going in now. This "progressive" council should remember that Tommy Douglas knew the value of infrastructure.
Up 13 Down 8
Wilf Carter on May 12, 2022 at 9:07 am
This issue should have a pro-active approach instead of re-acted approach. Define the problem and then start a mitigation plan for all the clay cliffs not just this spot. Looking at the clay cliff you can see fissures in which vertical cracks in it are created by water coming down. Pressure from the weight of the soil itself will come down in time.
Up 10 Down 27
Proverb on May 12, 2022 at 8:40 am
I suggest we all be patient. As it is said, "Hurry is waste. Waste is cracked bowl which never knows rice." For those who don't understand, this proverb means that we need to slow down and relax a little.
Up 22 Down 30
Dave on May 12, 2022 at 4:56 am
Don’t be surprised folks, this is yet another example of the same government attitude that basically shut down the Yukon and Canada because they were scared of Covid.
Up 17 Down 7
Different Times on May 12, 2022 at 12:30 am
'Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.' G. Michael Hopf
Up 11 Down 8
JustSayin' on May 11, 2022 at 11:03 pm
The only thing beneficial with the South Access being closed, is YG personnel now can see there great planning take effect. For example, the two sets of hillcrest lights that change as soon as the pressure from a tire is felt. The amazing new signal pattern change at the top of the South Access.
hehehe
Up 10 Down 34
bonanzajoe on May 11, 2022 at 8:44 pm
Keep it shut down until its safe.
Up 48 Down 6
Everyone on May 11, 2022 at 6:55 pm
This has become more than absurd. It’s a road built beneath a clay escarpment; slides are always going to happen.
CLEAR THE ROADWAY!
Up 21 Down 9
Ken Putnam on May 11, 2022 at 5:49 pm
Shame and Mathew I support your comments 100%. Those who gave you thumbs down are likely from, hmmm, Southeast of here.
Up 33 Down 6
Hurry it up on May 11, 2022 at 5:14 pm
I get that this was a larger then normal slide but this is nothing new. Slides to some extent have happened in that area every spring for as long as people can remember. If there is that great of a risk to crews getting in there start work then they should just bring down the problem area and clean that up too. Either way, hurry up with it. The city of 20-30 years ago would have had this done a week ago and this would old news by now. Just sitting back and waiting for better weather is just lazy and kicking the can
Up 5 Down 19
Vern Schlimbesser on May 11, 2022 at 5:07 pm
Ukraine?
What caused that? Was it "weapons of mass destruction" this time? Or an expanding Red Chinese threat on South East Asia?
No. This time it was a "destabilization of Europe" from sale of Russian natural gas.
Up 27 Down 7
Vern Schlimbesser on May 11, 2022 at 4:59 pm
Those who "DO THINGS" always make it possible for the rest of society to improve. Those with only their own interests will always find excuses to prevent the "DOERs" from acting, it provides them a measure of control and personal gratification.
It has been this way for years, but is getting more prevalent. It is most apparent, I believe, here in Yukon where there is such a large non-productive component of society.
Up 113 Down 26
Matthew on May 11, 2022 at 4:04 pm
Pathetic, pretty sure when landslide hits AK HWY it's cleared, in hours, not days or weeks.. hours.. what's the difference here?
Up 135 Down 18
Shame On You on May 11, 2022 at 3:28 pm
I will repeat my comment from the last story on this because it needs to be said.
To those talking about engineers and liability and on and on and on let me tell you this. My father worked for DPW (the precursor to YG Hwys) and also for Keno Hill when they maintained the North Klondike hwy and then later YTG when its highway department was formed, I have albums full of pictures of those crews doing things like cleaning up slides like this one spring after spring -gasp- sometimes even using open air equipment that didn’t have cabs as a routine matter of course. They didn’t make a big stink about it or even think it was anything out of the ordinary as it was just a routine part of every Yukon springs road maintenance. 60 years of ‘Progress’ later the desk bound hand wringers with fancy titles can’t even handle one little slide like this.
Those men who got things done back in the day had a name for the dysfunction being displayed here, I won’t repeat it on this page.