Fort Chipewyan Winter Road closing for season on April 7

Starting on Friday, the Fort Chipewyan Winter Road and La Loche Winter Trail load limits are reducing to 5,000 kg for passenger vehicles, before closing for the season on Tuesday, April 7.

Load limits on the Fort Chipewyan Winter Road are scheduled as follows:

• Open at 45,000 kg until 10 a.m. Friday morning, April 3
• Open at 5,000 kg for light vehicles during the day on Friday (10 a.m. - 10 p.m.)
• Starting April 4, nighttime travel only for light vehicles up to 5,000 kg (10 p.m. - 10 a.m.)

This means from Saturday, April 4 to Monday, April 6, the winter road will be closed to all vehicles during the day from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.  

These limits are to preserve the winter road for travel over the long weekend during spring-like temperatures. Starting Saturday morning, vehicles driving during the day (10 a.m. to 10 p.m.) will be fined.

The winter road will close for the season at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 7. This season it was open for 108 consecutive days – more than a week longer than the 10-year average.

La Loche Winter Trail nighttime limit starting Friday, closing April 7

Starting Friday morning, the La Loche Winter Trail is also reducing to 5,000 kg for light vehicles, before closing for the season on Tuesday, April 7.

Load limits on the La Loche Winter Trail are scheduled as follows:

• Open at 27,500 kg until 10 a.m. Friday morning, April 3
• Open at 5,000 kg for light vehicles during the day on Friday (10 a.m. - 10 p.m.)
• Starting April 4, nighttime travel only for light vehicles up to 5,000 kg (10 p.m. - 10 a.m.)

The winter trail will close for the season at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 7.

Watch for updates over Easter long weekend

Conditions on the winter road may change in the coming days depending on weather. Watch for official updates and potential changes over the Easter weekend at rmwb.ca/winterroads and on RMWB social media.

Expect rough driving conditions

Drivers on the winter roads should expect rough conditions, as spring-like temperatures are degrading the roads’ surfaces. Please drive cautiously, follow all posted signage and plan for the trip to take longer than normal. 

Crews will continue working to maintain the road’s surface as well as possible until the road’s closure on Tuesday.

Travelling on the winter road when it is closed is strictly prohibited and extremely dangerous. Barricades and signage will be in place and there is no detour. Any motorist using the winter road while it’s closed is putting themself and others at risk of a serious incident.

Important reminders:

• Stay on the right-hand side of the road, especially on hills 
• Stop at river crossings – only one vehicle can cross at a time 
• Be cautious, and always be aware of crews and equipment working on the road 
• All heavy vehicles, such as fuel trucks and semi-trailers, require a permit to use the winter road. Find more information on permits and other important details in the Heavy Vehicle Information Package. 
• Review the Winter Road Safety Tips before travelling.   

Don’t miss a Winter Road update

Check the following sources for the latest information:

• Sign up for email updates at subscribe.rmwb.ca
• Winter Road Hotline (recorded message) - 866-743-6111
• Municipal website at rmwb.ca/winterroads
•  RMWB Facebook and Twitter accounts

For further information or questions, please contact Pulse at 780-743-7000 or online at rmwb.ca/pulse.

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