Ice roads open early

“Bone-chilling temperatures have been a boon to builders of Manitoba’s northern winter roads this year,” says this article in the Winnipeg Free Press.

The province is forecasting that most of the 2,500-kilometre winter-road network — serving two dozen far-flung communities — could be in operation by the end of January, earlier than in a normal season.

The winter-road system is a lifeline for fly-in communities. It’s the time when building supplies, fuel and other bulk products can be shipped in large quantities.

Four of 19 road sections in the northern reaches of the winter-road network have already opened, albeit with weight restrictions.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/cold-revs-up-highway-network-185134621.html