By Tyler Marr

Only road into Cumberland House nearly undrivable: local

May 30, 2017 | 12:08 AM

Residents of Cumberland House are expressing concern over the dire condition of the only road in and out of their community.

Highway 123 is relied upon for fuel, food, and medical transportation to the island village located 240 kilometres northeast of Prince Albert. The road is plagued heavily by the fact it runs through a river delta and has poor drainage.

“It is a bad situation,” Band Councillor Angus Mckenzie said. “This is an every year thing that we deal with after the spring thaw.”

Mckenzie said his main concern was for the safety of those in town. He said medical patients, like those receiving dialysis, make a number of trips per week out of the island village.

The road has been repaired multiple times in the past, but because of its drainage issues, and the wet weather of late, little progress has been made.

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“The highway stockpiled a bunch of gravel and they just pour a bunch on the bad spots every year,” he said. “This has been an issue since the road existed.”

Mckenzie said despite the topic commonly brought to MLAs, MPs and the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure, little has been done.

The ministry recognizes this, according to the executive director of communications Doug Wakabayashi, but said working in the north comes with challenges.

He said the typical cost to upgrade a rural road to super grid status would be roughly $300,000 to $400,000 per kilometre. But given the 70 kilometre stretch of road is surrounded by muskeg and on the Canadian Shield, the special engineering work needed could double or triple construction costs.

“We are always willing to work with the local leadership, the First Nations and other service providers to make sure that things like medical evacuation can be accommodated, and critical supplies can get into as well,” Mckenzie said.

As of now, crews are working to improve the road where they can. He added the ministry is working to find inexpensive ways to repair roads.

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr