The City of Whitehorse began moving the jersey barriers on Robert Service Way on Tuesday, having determined that the high-risk slide season for the escarpment is over.
Crews are clearing the material from behind the concrete barriers, which narrowed the roadway when they were put in place.
“With the ground now fully thawed and seasonal groundwater seepage rates significantly reduced, we are ready to relocate the barriers back to the original shoulder of the roadway and return to the normal flow of traffic,” the city stated.
“No travel lanes will be closed during the work, and there will be minimal disruption to traffic. Traffic flaggers will be on-site to guide the movement of trucks hauling material away from the site.”
The crews have devised a method to minimize traffic impacts while completing the work, which is being done throughout the day and evening. Simultaneously, the city will continue to monitor the location.
Slides in April 2022 and April 2023 closed the roadway and the adjacent Millennium Trail for several weeks, prompting the barriers’ placement.
There is a $60-million plan to permanently stabilize the escarpment and realign the road further away from the clay cliffs. The federal government said in early May it will cover $45 million of the cost, leaving a $15-million shortfall.