Takhini residents, commuters and users of Takhini Elementary School and Yukon University can breathe a sigh of relief.

A heavily-used section of Range Road has reopened to regular through traffic, as the city’s contractor, Norcope Enterprises, has finished the final phase of the Takhini sanitary trunk main project.

Public transit is resuming service along Range Road, with new bus routes and schedules.

“Remaining work on Range Road, including line-painting and concrete work for medians and sidewalks, will be completed with traffic control, as needed,” the city said Tuesday.

The section between Two Mile Hill and Mountainview Drive initially closed in June 2023, provoking a major traffic issue that returned this summer when it was closed a second time.

On June 1, 2022, city crews detected a tension crack in the trunk main along the escarpment related to the landslides that had occurred that spring.

Another landslide could have pulled away the sanitary main or caused other damage, triggering an “uncontrolled release” of its contents. Hence, a 1.2-kilometre gravity main had to be installed in the area.

Work on the trunk main, which accounts for 40 to 50 per cent of the city’s total sewage, began on June 30, 2023. 

The Trans Canada Trail between Mountainview Drive and Range Road was closed during that time and reopened last November after considerable work. That included deep excavations, the installation of the 1.2-kilometre large-diameter sanitary main, road widening and surface work.

The road was once again partially closed this past May for resurfacing and sidewalk work, among other things. This resulted in a dedicated pedestrian and cyclist path on the west side of the road to allow pedestrian and cyclist access between University Drive and Mountainview Drive. 

The city has extended its gratitude to area residents’ and commuters’ patience, stressing the project was critical to the city.