As climate change disrupts traditional freeze cycles, the work to build and maintain winter roads has never been more complex. Extreme temperature shifts lengthen freeze periods prolonging portage construction, while simultaneously creating the potential for extreme ice conditions such as thermal expansion which can create pressure ridges or thermal shock which creates deep cracking weakening the ice posing critical safety concerns. Delays in freezing and earlier thaws mean construction teams must work faster and smarter. That’s why we’re using advanced technology like GPR to track ice thickness, implementing ice-strengthening methods (flooding), to keep our communities connected. Adaptation isn’t an option—it’s a necessity.
