Hundreds of trees have been cut down to make room for a new and improved gate at the southern entrance of Highway 93.
According to Parks Canada, the gate will be closed for the rest of the season and will be replaced in the fall in time to welcome visitors in 2018.
The plan includes adding a third kiosk and an extra lane to improve the flow of traffic.
In March Parks Canada announced it was investing $4.5 million to redevelop the east gate, which often sees long line-ups of cars trying to get into the park.
Steve Young, a communications officer for Parks Canada, said no date has been selected for when construction for that gate will begin.
The money will be used to assess and monitor existing traffic patterns and could include adding a kiosk, building a by-pass lane and/or overhead signage.
The investment is part an additional $78 million announced by the federal government in March for various infrastructure projects in Jasper National Park.
The funding is in addition to $211 million previously announced in 2015 and includes more than $56 million for new projects and an additional $20 million for projects that were previously announced.
Some of those projects are already complete, such as repaving Old Fort Point Road, while others like rehabilitating Whistlers Campground won鈥檛 take place until 2018 or 2019.
Paul Clarke
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