The Old Crow winter road opened to restricted traffic last week.

According to a news release from the Yukon government, the road will help move materials into the community to support infrastructure projects in the coming years. Those include the new Health and Wellness Centre, a 10-plex housing unit and the Old Crow Elders Complex.

“The road spans 280 kilometres from Eagle Plains to Old Crow,” the government said in a statement.

“The road will not be publicly accessible, and the Vuntut Gwitchin government will control access.”

Highways and Public Works Minister Nils Clarke said, “Thanks to our partnership with Vuntut Gwitchin Government, this project will help move materials into Old Crow for critical community infrastructure projects.

“This is a great example of how two governments with similar priorities can work together to serve our communities.”

The two governments have been working closely together to ensure the project’s success. The Vuntut-Gwitchin government is managing the construction, maintenance and decommissioning of the road.

“The winter road follows one of the traditional routes used by our Gwich’in ancestors,” said Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation Chief Dana Tizya-Tramm.

“For the next several weeks, trucks will use the road to haul many tons of material to Old Crow as part of a major collaborative effort by our two governments.

“The road is an essential step to building new housing and improved health care infrastructure in our community that will dramatically improve the lives of the Vuntut Gwitchin, especially our elders.”

The road will remain open until mid-March, depending on the weather. Plans are in the works for building another winter road next year and continue to bring in materials for future infrastructure projects.

This is the first time since 2014 that Old Crow has been accessible by road.

It will take trucks eight to 12 hours to travel between Eagle Plains and Old Crow.

Several vehicles were recently stranded near Old Crow due to overflow ice conditions, but the drivers trying to reach the village had plenty of food and supplies to withstand the delay.