After many years of working on the Tibbitt to Contwoyto winter road, director of the winter road Ron Near and superintendent Kirk Keller are calling it quits.

SA国际影视传媒淚've retired a few a couple times before and that didn't work out, but as far as I know this will be my last retirement,SA国际影视传媒� Near said.

Near says he's planning to move to Alberta with his wife to be with his kids and grandkids after his official retirement on June 30.

SA国际影视传媒淥ver 35 years in the North, it will be quite a change of pace,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Near originally came to Yellowknife to work with the . He spent 25 years in uniform.

SA国际影视传媒淚 also owned the original company that provides security for the diamond industry and for the winter road,SA国际影视传媒� Near said. SA国际影视传媒淎fter that I worked for a company which built the winter road for four years then I was the director for eight years.SA国际影视传媒�

Understanding of ice road construction has evolved over the years, Near said.

SA国际影视传媒淭he biggest change is always being able to improve how we build the road and in the technology we use,SA国际影视传媒� Near said. SA国际影视传媒淲e now have a full-time ice engineering team working on the project. We understand ice a lot better than we did 20 years ago, so that's the exciting part.SA国际影视传媒�

In addition to learning, there were many fun times.

SA国际影视传媒淪ome of the stories I could say publicly and some I couldn't,SA国际影视传媒� Near said, laughing. SA国际影视传媒淏ut it's the best project I've worked on in my life.

SA国际影视传媒淚t's special because you build 700 km of winter road in a month and in two months ship eight to nine thousand loads, then get to watch it melt,SA国际影视传媒� Near said. SA国际影视传媒淚t's been pretty phenomenal.SA国际影视传媒�
Bill Braden, author and photographer who wrote On Good Ice: Winter Roads, said Near is, in some ways, similar to winter road founder John Zigarlick.
SA国际影视传媒淶igarlick was a man who was always striving to improve the road and its safety, and Ron Near picked up where he left off,SA国际影视传媒� Braden said. SA国际影视传媒淣ear was always looking to improve the safety and organization of the road and he brought in a lot of scientific and technological innovation.SA国际影视传媒�
Braden said directing a $22-million project that sees thousands of trucks running north and back is extremely stressful.

SA国际影视传媒淏ut Ron always had a great sense of humour while doing it. He's done a hell of a job,SA国际影视传媒� said Braden.

Another winter road heavyweight set to retire after this season is Kirk Keller, a man whom Braden describes as having near equal footing as Ron Near. Keller worked with Near for many years, in near constant communication.

SA国际影视传媒淩on brought a whole different way of looking at things coming from a different background,SA国际影视传媒� Keller said. SA国际影视传媒淗e's done a lot for the road, especially in terms of safety SA国际影视传媒� wouldn't be the same road without him.SA国际影视传媒�

Keller began hauling equipment on the road in 1982 but left after a few years. He returned in 2000 as a superintendent, a position he'll leave when he retires at the end of this year's ice road season.

Keller said he's already moved to Mexico, where the weather is SA国际影视传媒渁 little nicer.SA国际影视传媒�

Like Near, Keller has witnessed many changes over decades.

SA国际影视传媒淏ack when I started hauling, they didn't even have an auger and only ran around 600 loads in a day,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淣ow it's such a huge undertaking with radar technology checking the ice, safety crews, new equipment and the amount of money that is invested into this thing.SA国际影视传媒�

Keller said he's proud of the work he did on the project, although it was demanding.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou don't sleep as much while the work is on. It's a lot of responsibility to make sure people don't fall through the ice,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淏ut you're always excited to start the project and always excited to see it finished.SA国际影视传媒�