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October 16, 1997
(Works, Services and Transportation)
The following mid-year report was issued
today by Lloyd Matthews, Minister of Works, Services and
Transportation, at a news conference held at Confederation
Building:
The first six months of the 1997-98 fiscal year
have been extremely active and productive for the Department of
Works, Services and Transportation.
Since April 1, the department has spent
approximately $60 million of the approximately $100 million
allocated for highway construction and improvement projects (list
follows) and awarded tenders valued at more than $20 million for
schools, hospitals and other public buildings (list follows).
The department is dedicated to providing a safe,
integrated network of highways and community access roads in this
province. Working closely with the federal government, this
department ensures that this network is developed and maintained.
It also works with other provincial government departments and
agencies to construct facilities required to provide essential
public services.
There were many highlights.
Trans Labrador Highway
In April, the federal and provincial governments
announced an agreement that transferred responsibility for
Labrador marine services to the province. In exchange, the
province received a $340 million cash settlement, and two ships
valued at $25 million. Work is going extremely well on this
project. (A backgrounder on the TLH follows).
Redevelopment of Health Care Facilities
The department assumed overall responsibility for
the redevelopment of health care facilities for the Health Care
Corporation of St. John's during the fiscal year. As a result, it
is now responsible for the construction of a new
Janeway/Children's Rehabilitation Centre and redevelopment of the
Health Sciences and St. Clare's hospitals. These projects will
cost $130 million. (A backgrounder follows.)
Other Hospital Services
A contract for prime consultant services has also
been awarded for the new Harbour Breton Hospital. This year's
work will involve preliminary architectural and engineering
design.
Redevelopment of the James Paton Hospital in
Gander (approximately $43 million) continues and work has begun
on a new health care centre in Happy Valley/Goose Bay
(approximately $30 million).
New School Construction
The department has expanded its services to
include management responsibility for new school construction on
behalf of the Department of Education. This will result in
approximately $35 million of work over the next four years.
Current projects include construction of new schools at Hopedale
and Rigolet.
Outer Ring Road
Three projects are now underway on the Outer Ring
Road in St. John's. The combined cost of these projects is
$4,336,445. (A backgrounder follows).
Brush Clearing Program
In July, the department also announced a $1
million Highway Maintenance and Safety Program. Under that
program, 400 hectares of brush were cleared throughout all
regions of the province. Brush clearing involves the management
and control of all vegetation on highway rights-of-way. It
increases safety and improves the appearance of our highways.
Contact: Rick Callahan, Director of
Communications (709) 729-4860.
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Backgrounder -- Trans Labrador Highway
In April, the federal and provincial governments
announced an agreement that transferred responsibility for
Labrador marine services to the province. In exchange, the
province received a $340 million cash settlement, and two ships
valued at $25 million.
The department committed to spending $20 million
this year on upgrading the TLH between Happy Valley - Goose Bay
and Labrador West. A total of five contracts, including the
carry-over project between Pope's Hill and Bob's Brook were
awarded to the value of $26 million with a projected cash flow of
$19.5 million. An amount of $0.5 million was allocated for
planning, engineering and Environmental Assessment work for Phase
II of the project between Red Bay and Cartwright.
Work is progressing well on the TLH with two of
the five contracts completed; namely, placement of granular
material on the highway between Wabush and Ashuanipi Bridge, a
distance of 57 kms, and upgrading between Pope's Hill and Bob's
Brook, a distance of 18 kms. The third contract for upgrading 21
kilometres between Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Lower Brook is
nearing completion and should be completed by early November. The
fourth contract for upgrading 38 kms between Upper Brook and
Pope's Hill may not be completed this fall, depending on how
early winter arrives. At this point in time it is conceivable
that $0.5 million of work on this particular project may be
carried over to next year. The designated cash flow on the fifth
project for upgrading 39 kms between Bob's Brook and Cache River
will be met or slightly exceeded for this year.
With the possible exception of a $0.5 million
carry-over on the contract for upgrading between Upper Brook and
Pope's Hill, all the planned work for this year will be
accomplished.
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Backgrounder: New Janeway Major Component of
Health Care Redevelopment
The Department of Works, Services and
Transportation assumed overall responsibility for the
redevelopment of health care facilities for the Health Care
Corporation of St. John's during the fiscal year. As a result, it
is now responsible for the construction of a new
Janeway/Children's Rehabilitation Centre and redevelopment of the
Health Sciences and St. Clare's hospitals. These projects will
cost $130 million.
During the 1997-98 fiscal year, the department
awarded the first contract for the new Janeway/Children's
Rehabilitation Centre for pediatrics and obstetrics (artist's
rendering avaliable at www.gov.nl.ca/wst or by fax upon request).
This new centre will be connected to the north
side of the Health Sciences Centre. This four-floor facility will
house all aspects of the Child Health program, including
children's rehabilitative services. In addition, the labour and
delivery components of the Women's Health program will be located
in the new structure.
Within the new facility, children will have
access to advanced one-of-a-kind medical technology and health
care expertise. children will no longer have to be transported
for certain procedures. As well, obstetrical and pediatric
services are being brought together so new mothers will no longer
have to be separated from sick newborns requiring medical
attention.
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Backgrounder: Outer Ring Road
Three projects are now underway on the Outer Ring
Road in St. John's. The combined cost of these projects is
$4,336,445.
The Outer Ring Road is a four-lane highway
originating on the TCH just east of the Route 2 interchange and
terminating at Harding Road in the White Hills, a distance of
approximately 19.7 kms.
Construction of the Outer Ring Road started in
1994, with funding of $68.2 million allocated under the
Newfoundland Transportation Initiative.
At the end of the current construction season,
the subgrade from the TCH to Portugal Cove Road, as well as
structures at Donovans, Topsail Road and Allandale Road will be
completed.
Structures remaining to be built to get traffic
to Portugal Cove Road are at Thorburn Road, Groves Road and the
Bifurcation Road. The Bifurcation Road is a four-lane highway
leaving the Outer Ring Road between Thorburn Road and Groves Road
and connecting with Kenmount Road, a distance of approximately
2.4 kms.
Access to the Outer Ring Road will be via the
interchanges at:
Donovan's Industrial Park/Kenmount Road
Topsail Road
Bifurcation Road
Allandale Road Extension
Portugal Cove Road
Torbay Road
Logy Bay Road
An extensive environmental protection plan was
prepared for the construction of the Outer Ring Road.
Construction cost to date is approximately $21.3
million.
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