Fort Chipewyan’s winter road will close at 10 a.m. tomorrow after being open for over three months. The rig mats will be removed by March 27 at 10 a.m., making the road impassable until next winter.
The rough conditions and deep potholes on the Fort Chipewyan Winter Road mean that any light vehicles attempting to use the road before it closes on March 26 need to be high clearance because of the warm winter.
A statement from the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo stated that there is no detour available when the winter road is closed. Travelling on it when it’s closed poses a risk to the traveller and others.
Travelling on the winter road when it’s closed is strictly prohibited and extremely dangerous. Barricades and signage will be in place and there is no detour available. Any motorist using the winter road while it’s closed is putting themselves and others at risk of a serious incident
The winter road was opened to light traffic on December 20, and the 2023-24 winter road season lasted for 94 days. The road was briefly closed on January 30 but reopened on February 3. However, starting from early February, the municipality considered a significant portion of the road to be “rough” and “spring-like”.
Currently, there is no permanent road connecting Fort Chipewyan with Fort McMurray. However, Chief Allan Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation stated in a December interview that the warm temperatures and unpredictable wildfire season last summer have made a permanent road to Fort Chipewyan even more crucial for the community. Adam has met with the mayors of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo and Fort Smith and reports that they have reached an agreement that an all-weather road is necessary.
Once the road closes, reaching Fort Chipewyan is limited to air, barge, and boat for the remainder of the year.
