Hatch receives prestigious CEA Award for Tłı̨chǫ all-season road project

Edmonton, Alberta, April 29, 2024 — Hatch, a global engineering, project delivery, and professional services firm, has been honored with the Consulting Engineers of Alberta (CEA) Award of Merit in the category of Transportation Infrastructure at the annual Showcase Awards Gala. The event, held at the Edmonton Convention Centre, celebrated excellence in consulting engineering across Alberta and beyond. The CEA Showcase Awards acknowledge outstanding achievements in consulting engineering, with project awards presented for excellence and merit in thirteen categories.

Hatch's remarkable achievement stems from its role as the lead design consultant on the Tłı̨chǫ All-Season Road (ASR) project. This critical infrastructure initiative was undertaken to enhance access to remote northern communities and drive economic development in the region.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) awarded a contract to North Star Infrastructure (NSI) for the design, construction, financing, operation, and maintenance of the Tłı̨chǫ All-Season Road (ASR). As part of the North Star Infrastructure Design-Build Team, Hatch served as the lead design consultant. Hatch’s services included roadway geometrics design, evaluation of bridge structure alternatives and design, hydrotechnical assessment of structures, incorporation of climate change considerations, geotechnical design and field investigations (in collaboration with subconsultant Thurber Engineering Ltd), and preparation of record drawings.

“Tłı̨chǫ ASR is a new 97 km all-season road connecting approximately 500 residents of the Town of Whatì to Highway 3, west of Yellowknife.” shares Sandy Melindy, project manager at Hatch. “The project faced unique difficulties due to challenging terrain, including saturated muskeg and discontinuous permafrost. These factors introduced long-term settlement issues that threatened the road’s resilience. Hatch’s design process incorporated climate change considerations, recognizing the accelerated effects of climate change in northern regions. Balancing initial cost and long-term performance was crucial, especially given the instability of permafrost conditions.”

Design work for the Tłı̨chǫ ASR took place between February 2019 and November 2021, while construction began in September 2019 and concluded in November 2022—an impressive achievement, completing the project approximately one year ahead of schedule.

Grand Chief George Mackenzie of the Tłı̨chǫ Government expressed his pride in the project:

“This Tłı̨chǫ All-Season Road will run through Tłı̨chǫ lands. Tłı̨chǫ Government’s equity ownership in NSI recognizes and respects this important fact. We think this road represents an essential piece of infrastructure for the Tłı̨chǫ region, and we look forward to the economic benefits it will bring to the whole of the Territories.”

Hatch's commitment to innovation, resilience, and community impact has earned them this prestigious award, and their contributions to the Tłı̨chǫ All-Season Road will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.

For more information about Hatch and their projects, visit Hatch's website Tłı̨chǫ All Season Road.

About the CEA Showcase Awards Gala 2024

For more information, please contact: 

Lindsay Janca 
Global Director, Public Relations 
Tel: +1 905 403 4199 
Email: media@hatch.com

About Hatch 

Whatever our clients envision, our teams can design and build. With over six decades of business and technical experience in the mining, energy, and infrastructure sectors, we know your business and understand that your challenges are changing rapidly. We respond quickly with solutions that are smarter, more efficient, and innovative. We draw upon our 10,000+ staff with experience in over 150 countries to challenge the status quo and create positive change for our clients, our employees, and the communities we serve. 

Find out more on www.hatch.com.