A forestry operation in northern Alberta constructs its temporary access roads with native, fine-grained materials and uses these roads during both frozen and unfrozen conditions. The log hauling fleet associated with this operation utilizes central tire inflation systems to reduce road damage and improve mobility. This first of two reports describes an evaluation of the design and construction of temporary access roads trafficked in the same year that they were constructed; quantifies grading maintenance savings resulting from the use of road surface compaction and optimized tire inflation pressures; and discusses the validation of a USDA Forest Service rutting model and its potential for use in other applications.