Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Hatch has been honored with the Consulting Engineers of Alberta (CEA) Award of Merit in the category of Transportation Infrastructure for its role as the lead design consultant on the Tłı̨chǫ All-Season Road (ASR) project.
This critical infrastructure initiative was undertaken to enhance access to remote northern communities and drive economic development in the region.
The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) awarded a contract to North Star Infrastructure (NSI) for the design, construction, financing, operation, and maintenance of the Tłı̨chǫ All-Season Road (ASR). As part of the North Star Infrastructure Design-Build Team, Hatch served as the lead design consultant. Hatch’s services included roadway geometrics design, evaluation of bridge structure alternatives and design, hydrotechnical assessment of structures, incorporation of climate change considerations, geotechnical design and field investigations (in collaboration with subconsultant Thurber Engineering Ltd.), and preparation of record drawings.
“Tłı̨chǫ ASR is a new 97 km all-season road connecting approximately 500 residents of the Town of Whatì to Highway 3, west of Yellowknife,” said Sandy Melindy, project manager at Hatch. “The project faced unique difficulties due to challenging terrain, including saturated muskeg and discontinuous permafrost. These factors introduced long-term settlement issues that threatened the road’s resilience. Hatch’s design process incorporated climate change considerations, recognizing the accelerated effects of climate change in northern regions. Balancing initial cost and long-term performance was crucial, especially given the instability of permafrost conditions.”
Design work for the Tłı̨chǫ ASR took place between February 2019 and November 2021, while construction began in September 2019 and concluded in November 2022—an impressive achievement, completing the project approximately one year ahead of schedule.
“This Tłı̨chǫ All-Season Road will run through Tłı̨chǫ lands. Tłı̨chǫ Government’s equity ownership in NSI recognizes and respects this important fact. We think this road represents an essential piece of infrastructure for the Tłı̨chǫ region, and we look forward to the economic benefits it will bring to the whole of the Territories,” said Grand Chief George Mackenzie of the Tłı̨chǫ Government.
Featured image: (Hatch)
