Winter Road Construction
Winter Road Construction
Our modern 24/7 remote snowmaking machines and low ground pressure snowcats let us create winter roads anytime, anywhere.
Winter Access Experts
Northern Mat & Bridge (NMB) has been a leader in providing remote access solutions to Canada’s north for over 20 years. Our experienced crews, well-equipped for even the most rugged terrains, can handle projects of any size.
We specialize in constructing winter access roads like ice roads and ice bridges, providing cost-effective temporary access to remote areas during the winter months. With over 30 years of experience, our Winter Access Team is skilled in building winter roads throughout Canada.
The process of creating a winter road begins with a sufficient layer of snow and ice. Snow machines compact the snow, driving frost into the ground, and then the snow is cleared to create the road. Ice roads are essential for accessing remote areas with no existing road infrastructure, especially in muskeg regions.
Snowcats
Our experienced Winter Access Team employs top-of-the-line Piston Bully and Bombardier Snowcats designed for winter road and ice bridge construction in areas with heavy snowfall.
These snowcats efficiently move large volumes of snow, minimizing ground pressure for decreased environmental impact. Our team uses a variety of accessories like gin poles with winches for lifting, decks for hauling fuel and supplies, tiller mounted tire drags, and man carrier units. All of these enhancements improve efficiency.
The process begins with snowcats plowing and pushing snow aside to create a clear area for “freezing in”. This involves dragging a large tire behind the snowcats to drive frost into the ground. After snow removal, a floater truck delivers a significant amount of water to establish the road’s foundation.
Snowmaking
Our advanced snowmaking systems play a fundamental role in building winter roads, including ice bridges. Our equipment includes large fan guns, self-contained command centers, pumps, and generator sets.
The NMB Winter Access Team specializes in producing substantial amounts of snow quickly, which is essential for various applications like creek crossings, ice roads, bridge approaches, and more.
Some of the key uses for snowcats and snowmaking include:
- Clearing bush roads
- Swamp packing
- Pipeline and hydro transmission line construction
- Oil and gas exploration
- High capacity drilling pads
- Environmentally sensitive wetland crossings
- Filling gullies
On challenging sections of the ice road, such as larger river crossings, snow is created and laid down once the foundation is set and frozen. Snow machines, similar to those used at ski resorts, are employed to produce the snow needed for a flatter and more drivable road surface during the winter. These critical steps are part of the “freezing in” process, and are followed by durability testing.
Our Network
Northern Mat & Bridge is proud to be Canada’s largest, fully integrated, turn-key access solutions company. More locations mean more available products with lower transportation costs!