Enhancing Yukon trade corridor resilience to northern geohazards 

3m culverts full of iceThe Yukon’s highway transportation network is vulnerable to natural processes and geohazards. Climate change is contributing to more frequent and intense geohazards which translates into increased maintenance and repair costs, as well as potentially dangerous driving conditions. The primary objective of this project is to improve the resilience and safety of existing transportation corridors in the Yukon - with a current focus on the Dempster, Alaska, Klondike, and Silver Trail highways. The research team will work in close collaboration with Yukon government transportation experts to explore how best to use adapted, cost-effective approaches in a context where climate change will continue to generate unprecedented extreme conditions associated with permafrost and hydrology processes. The project addresses urgent transportation needs for the Yukon and focuses on geohazards that are unique to the North (including Northwest Territories, Alaska and British Columbia). It will also support decision making by Yukon government managers through accurate data measured by innovative technologies.