Much of the route snakes through treeless tundra with sensitive underlying permafrost, so most construction since January 2014 has taken place during 166-day winter seasons. Up to 600 workers from EGT Northwind, a joint venture of two Inuvialuit-owned companies, worked virtually non-stop during those periods in sub-zero temperatures. Crews in Inuvik and Tuktoyakyuk worked toward each other, linking up in April 2016.

With ground conditions precluding typical cut-and-fill grading, embankments for the 26-ft to 29-ft-wide roadway and its 3:1 side slopes were formed using nearly 205 million cu ft of carefully sourced fill material, with a geotextile fabric placed atop the existing ground surface. Short-span, single-lane bridges have been constructed at eight stream crossings.

Remaining tasks include gravel surfacing and installation of signs and guardrails. The official opening is slated for mid-November.

The project was first planned in the 1960s, following the installation of Cold War radar systems at Tuktoyakyuk. Used as a resupply base for military personnel, the village supported undersea oil and natural-gas exploration activities through the 1990s. The highway is expected to make on-shore petroleum exploration activity more attractive by lowering logistics costs and increasing the quality of life for Tuktoyaktuk residents.