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Yukon's North Klondike Highway opens to single lane traffic after crews clear landslide debris

Two sections of the Yukon North Klondike Highway opened to single lane traffic on Saturday. This came after landslides closed both sections on Thursday.  (Yukon Highway and Public Works/Facebook - image credit)
Two sections of the Yukon North Klondike Highway opened to single lane traffic on Saturday. This came after landslides closed both sections on Thursday. (Yukon Highway and Public Works/Facebook - image credit)

Yukon's North Klondike Highway is open to single lane traffic after multiple landslides closed the road in two sections last Thursday.

The slides occurred between kilometre 666 and 674, approximately 10 kilometres south of the Dempster Highway cut-off, and kilometre 693 to 696 at Rock Creek just north of the Dempster Highway cut-off.

The closure meant people in Dawson City were unable to access the section of the highway that connects Rock Creek Subdivision and Henderson Corner, or points further south.

People coming north from Whitehorse were unable to access the Dempster Corner.

Jim Regimbal is the northern superintendent for highways with the Yukon Government. He told CBC News on Friday there was an excess of 10 slides that were affecting the road.

Yukon Highways and Public Works posted on Facebook on Saturday afternoon that the road would be open to single lane traffic.

The post said highway workers would be piloting vehicles for the section of Henderson Corner and Rock Creek — kilometre 693 to 696 — from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

"We will be closing this section overnight and reopening in the morning as there are still some potential hazards on the road," the Facebook post read.

The area between kilometre 666 and 674 will remain open overnight.

Highway and Public Works encourages residents to follow 511 Yukon for any updates on road conditions.