Watch out! Nalcor warns snowmobilers about Muskrat Falls construction

People who spend time in the woods on snowmobiles, ATVsand who arehunting are being warned to watch out for construction crews in central Newfoundland.

Nalcorsaid Tuesday that work on the transmission line from Muskrat Falls is now going on near the Exploits River and will continue for the next few months towards Port Blandford, and eventually Soldiers Pond near St. John`s.

Nalcor'svice president for the Lower Churchill project, GilbertBennett,saidcrews are clearing a right of way for the transmission lines, and building access roads.

"Right now we're working just south of the mill in Grand Falls-Windsor,"Bennett told theCentral Morning Show.

"We're working in the Dead Wolf Pond-Triton area.Late last year we were working in the northwest Gander area nearGlenwoodand we'll soon be moving in towards the Terra Nova area,"

People in those areas are used to forestry work and other industrial activity, said Bennett, so it's just a matter of being aware of what's going on.

"If there are recreational users, people are using snowmobiles in the winter, orATVs in the summer, huntingin the fall then it's important for people to know we're active in the area."

Peak construction times will see heavy equipment like cranes, so recreational users will have to keep a safe distance and watch their speed, he said.

"We do have mapping on our website that would indicate where our work is being undertaken at agiven point in time, so we'll give people a two-week lookahead."

Nalcor crewsshould be finished the clearing activity by early summer.

"Once the clearing is complete, construction crews will be coming in behind where we actually deliver the towers, install the foundations, erect the towers and ultimately string the conductor," said Bennett.

That will continue into 2017.