Cracks throughout new Whitehorse airport tarmac, engineer says
Contractor says government ignored warnings about troublesome permafrost
A Yukon government engineer says the new Whitehorse airport tarmac is rife with defects, but it's too soon to say whether it will need to be torn up.
The airport apron — where the planes park — was replaced last summer, at a cost of $3.5 million.
"Ideally, we don't want to rip everything up," said Paul Murchison, director of engineering for Yukon's department of highways and public works. "But the defects are throughout the entire job."
Murchison said cracks are forming throughout the new concrete apron. He said the cement pads do not meet airport standards.
The contractor on the job, Norcope Enterprises of Whitehorse, said the problem is permafrost under the apron. The company says the government was warned about problems during construction, but chose to ignore them.
Murchison says now, even if the tarmac isn't immediately replaced, it will likely have to be replaced sooner than expected.
"There's repair, replace, or a combination of both of those, and we're working towards making a final decision about what that's going to be," he said.
Earlier this week, the opposition NDP asked whether taxpayers would be on the hook to pay for any repair or replacement work. Minister Scott Kent said the the government is in discussions with the contractor to find a solution.