Hay River residents say a disused CN rail line has become a hazard for drivers trying to navigate “horrific” crossings where the rail meets the road.
A 30-km stretch of track between Hay River and Enterprise was damaged by wildfire in the summer of 2023, after which CN decided not to repair it, instead sending freight to and from Enterprise.
CN and the NWT government are now involved in a formal dispute over the Hay River line’s future.
In the meantime, residents and local politicians say the track through Hay River has been left untouched and rail crossings have become “hard to pass.”
“They are taking a toll on personal vehicles. It is really rough to cross,” said Hay River South MLA Vince McKay of the undulating crossings. “People are complaining about having to slow right down, even avoiding them.”
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McKay is also the NWT’s infrastructure minister. He said dealing with the dips in the road at the crossings is beyond his control.
“They govern themselves essentially, and their rail line is their property,” McKay said, “so I don’t know what could be done.”
Some residents say even some gravel would help solve the problem and level out the surface.
“Crossings in Old Town are horrific, eliciting strong language from even the most priggish of those who cross it at the listed speed limit, without even the benefit of a warning sign,” wrote Eileen Gour, a resident of Hay River.
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“If I had my own construction company, I would just go spread some gravel over it in the middle of the night.”
Gour told Cabin Radio that even when the line was operating, the rail crossings were not in particularly good shape for vehicles. That has only worsened with time, she added.
“These railway crossings give a black eye to our town every time anyone crosses them – I’m guessing hundreds of unfortunate drivers every day,” wrote Gour.
She said the GNWT or the Town of Hay River could each choose to rectify the situation themselves, then “send their invoices to CN if they wish or find a way to play hardball.”
“In any case, it is grossly unfair to all who drive this road and especially the people who live here, to have to unnecessarily tolerate this thoughtless and inconsiderate hazard”
In a written statement, CN told Cabin Radio “safety is a core value” at the company and pledged to take action.
“Crossing safety and repairs is a joint responsibility between CN and municipalities,” the company stated, “and we are working with Town of Hay River to have the work completed within the next few weeks, weather and resources permitting.”
Correction: August 1, 2025 – 8:22 MT. Owing to an editing error, this article initially stated that Vince McKay had suggested gravel might be an option. In fact, he had said while gravel would be an option on an ordinary road or highway, a rail crossing might not be treatable in the same way.
