Spring is a time of renewal and this year is no exception. This month, the second year of Jasper National Park’s five-year infrastructure renewal program gets underway.
Parks Canada is investing in the rehabilitation of Jasper National Park’s trails, campgrounds, heritage buildings, as well as highways and bridges with funding from the Federal Infrastructure Initiative. Investments in the park’s visitor infrastructure will ensure the quality and reliability of visitor facilities and ensure Canadians can continue to connect with nature and enjoy world-class national parks in a safe and meaningful way.
This work is part of the $3 billion being invested to support infrastructure work in national parks, national historic sites and historic waterways across the country. These historic investments will improve visitor safety, ensure high-quality visitor experiences, and maintain commemorative and ecological integrity in Parks Canada places across the country.
With the return of favourable weather conditions to the Jasper area, bridge reconstruction began earlier this month at the Athabasca River Bridge and the two Rocky River bridges east of Jasper on Highway 16. There will also be paving work and slope re-profiling work on Highway 16 East as well as reconstruction of the Miette River Bridge on Highway 16 West.
Motorists will encounter lane-narrowing at all four bridges. Workers will be on site from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and the bridge width reductions will be in place 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The bridge work is expected to continue until the fall.
Sightline clearing operations began on the Icefields Parkway in March and the work continues on the stretch of highway from Mount Christie to Wabasso Lake (45 km south of Jasper). This road safety work is expected to continue until the end of June.
Parks Canada is also pleased to announce it is investing in the rehabilitation of Jasper National Park’s easy trails with funding from the Federal Infrastructure Initiative. Starting this week, Jasper National Park’s trail crew has begun work on the Lake Annette Loop with work to follow later in the season on Trail 7 and the Valley of the Five Lakes trails.
Work began this week on the Lake Annette Loop with repairs to the retaining wall separating Lake Annette and Ochre Lake. A 140-metre section of the trail over the retaining wall will be closed until mid-May. A portion of the beach along the retaining wall will also be closed during construction. A detour is now in place and the rest of the Lake Annette Loop will remain open for the summer.
Trail users may encounter work crews along the trail doing maintenance work and there will be occasional temporary closures for public safety when equipment is being moved or hazard trees are being taken down.
Trail 7, along the Athabasca River, is a multi-use trail stretching from Old Fort Point to the Sixth Bridge Day Use Area. Erosion, use and outdated trail design have caused sections of this trail to deteriorate. This project aims to bring Trail 7 up to an easy trail standard.
No closures are planned for Trail 7 and work will be on-going throughout the summer.
As was announced in July 2015, Parks Canada received infrastructure funding to do repair work on the trails at Valley of the Five Lakes. Due to the high intensity of use, this trail has experienced ongoing deterioration in several areas. The primary objectives of this trail project are: to make improvements to problem areas; improve long term trail sustainability; address issues of deferred trail maintenance, and; increase user enjoyment and visitor experience.
Work will focus on Trails 9, 9a and 9b, surrounding the lakes. These trails will remain open during this work.
By investing in the preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration of our national historic sites Parks Canada is protecting our heritage and strengthening their appeal as destinations to celebrate our nation’s achievements. More projects will get underway in the coming weeks, so watch this space and the Parks Canada website for updates and project details.
Travelling in Jasper National Park: Plan ahead
With so many projects underway on Highway 16 and the Icefields Parkway, Jasper residents and park visitors are advised to plan ahead when travelling through the park. For the most up-to-date information on the location of road construction, delays and any other pertinent information that may impact your travel plans along Highway 16 and the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93N) please call 511 (in Alberta only) or visit the website www.511.alberta.ca.
For road conditions in British Columbia west of Jasper National Park, visit www.drivebc.ca or call 1-800-550-4997.
You will also find the current list of infrastructure projects throughout Jasper National Park on the park website at www.pc.gc.ca/infrastructure. This page is updated regularly and includes highway, road and facility projects.
InfoWork bulletins are also sent out to advise local residents of closures on roads and trails, as well as highway work and facility closures.
If you would like to receive e-mail notices about highway and road construction, trail closures, and wildlife warnings, please send an email to [email protected] with the words “subscribe” in the subject line.
Parks Canada
Special to the Fitzhugh
