Photo by Vince Fedoroff
COMPLETION GOAL DETOURED – As seen Thursday, supply complications have stopped the reconstruction of the Alaska Highway between Lodestar Lane and the weigh scales.
Supply woes freeze reconstruction
Issues with the supply of asphalt oil have halted the reconstruction of the Alaska Highway between Lodestar Lane and the weigh scales in Whitehorse, says a Yukon government spokeswoman.
Issues with the supply of asphalt oil have halted the reconstruction of the Alaska Highway between Lodestar Lane and the weigh scales in Whitehorse, says a Yukon government spokeswoman.
“The paving upgrades between Lodestar Lane and the Whitehorse weigh station were expected to be completed this construction season; however due to material supply chain issues, the contractor was unable to complete the work this summer,” Carla Bohman explained in an email to the Star Thursday.
“At this time, we have installed thermoplastic road marking paint from north of Range Road to Lodestar Lane and installation of the street lighting will be completed in the next month.”
Bohman, with the Department of Highways and Public Works, said the project will be completed next summer.
Improvements over the two-kilometre stretch will include enhancement of roadway lighting and the expansion to two lanes on each side of acceleration and deceleration lanes, says the project description provided by Bohman.
The project also includes the addition of thermoplastic road paint markings, the construction of a crosswalk at the Hillcrest intersection, construction of multi-use trails and improved access to the weight scales.
Cobalt Construction of Whitehorse was awarded the contract for $6.9 million.
Muhammad Irees, project manager for the Department of Highways and Public Works, said this morning he does not expect the contract price will change.
Cobalt bid on the job based on the higher price of oil, he explained. He said the lower price for oil now should offset the need to raise the contract price.
Irees said of the $4 million in work left to complete, $3.4 million is for asphalt.
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Comments (13)
Up 10 Down 1
Too much nepotism on Oct 26, 2022 at 3:10 pm
Cobalt is too cozy with this government. Anyone who has travelled to Dawson City in the last couple of years would know that.
Anyone who watched last years highway projects both at Hillcrest (Cobalt), and Cousins Airstrip (Sidhu), could see the glaring differences in approach to road safety, aggregate, timing and completed product. It wasn’t even close, Sidhu’s project came on top in each of those categories.
Up 4 Down 3
Liar Liar on Oct 26, 2022 at 12:59 pm
Does this mean when someone cleans up a grave or a known historic site, we can just say oops, our bad, it was a misunderstanding? Is this the new precedent? I hope so because I would like a couple of artifacts located around the Yukon. First, a piece of the SS Klondike, second couple of museum pieces, third, a couple of pre-contact tools, and oh some vintage bottles from Dawson...oooo, and the windows located in the commissioner's residence.
Up 2 Down 0
Chuck Farley on Oct 25, 2022 at 11:49 pm
bonanzajoe :Cobalt bid on the job based on the higher price of oil, he explained. He said the lower price for oil now should offset the need to raise the contract price. smh
Up 5 Down 0
Nathan Living on Oct 25, 2022 at 6:58 pm
The unfinished road may be a safety concern unless there is adequate signage.
Up 10 Down 2
Just Sayin' on Oct 25, 2022 at 4:19 pm
@Politico
It has nothing to do with the left or right or oil. It has to do with the company contracted to do the work. They did not hire the local asphalt company, which contributes monies to the Yukon; instead, the company utilized a contractor down south. If YG were thoughtful and cared about Yukoners, they would request the local asphalt company complete the paving, and the road work would be done. It does not matter what colour is in government; this job and lack of consequences result from poor management and accountability.
Up 22 Down 4
A.S. on Oct 23, 2022 at 10:06 pm
Yukon Dept of Hwys project management is laughably bad.
Up 20 Down 35
Politico on Oct 22, 2022 at 2:13 pm
Love the way the conservatives blame the supply problem on the liberals. More likely it's companies owned by Alberta oil conservative who gave bad estimates because conservatives can't tell the truth!
Up 29 Down 5
Far Canal on Oct 22, 2022 at 5:01 am
Couldn’t organize a Roman orgy…in Rome!
Up 58 Down 0
Paul on Oct 21, 2022 at 11:51 pm
How is it that Skookum Asphalt the local paving contractor is still paving down beside Superstore as of Friday evening (Oct 21), and able to complete paving jobs within the Yukon all Summer; while the paving contractor working on this job, can't seem finish a job that should have been done a while ago.
It's time the Yukon Government starts taking contract completion dates seriously.
Contractors submitting the lowest bids still need to be held to the same tender specifications to which the higher priced contractors were also bidding...
Up 41 Down 4
Liarliar on Oct 21, 2022 at 7:58 pm
Maybe if Cobalt purchased asphalt locally instead of outsourcing from it wouldn't be an issue.#yukonersnotfirst #creditcounts #typicalcobalt.
YG should force them to support local, all the other contractors do. Right the BVR is why this ship happens.
Up 27 Down 8
bonanzajoe on Oct 21, 2022 at 6:10 pm
I'm only interested in, how much extra this is going to cost the tax payer.
Up 25 Down 9
Matthew on Oct 21, 2022 at 4:48 pm
Bull! If supply issues were a big deal, why even start the project?
Up 20 Down 24
MILK on Oct 21, 2022 at 4:04 pm
Just pour concrete instead.