January 18, 1999
(Works, Services and Transportation)

Rick Woodford, Minister of Works, Services and Transportation, today announced the dates for the calling of tenders for projects to be undertaken in 1999 under both the Trans-Canada Highway Agreement and the Regional Trunk Road Program. Tender dates have been set for 12 projects be undertaken under the TCH Agreement valued at $30.4 million. Tender dates have been set for nine projects to be undertaken under the Regional Trunk Roads Program at a cost of $13 million. In all, tender dates have been set for 21 projects at a total value of $43.4 million.

TCH AGREEMENT:

Projects:                                                                                                                   Tender date:

1.  Construct overpass Pasadena East Interchange                                                       Jan. 30, 1999
2.  Upgrade and pave TCH from Springdale towardsBadger                                             Jan. 30, 1999
3.  Paving Pasadena ByPass South Brook towards Pynn's Brook                                   Feb. 20, 1999
4.  Upgrade and pave TCH, Cape Ray Intersectiontowards North Branch                          Feb. 24, 1999
5.  Replace overpass on TCH, Bishops Falls Interchange                                               Feb. 27, 1999
6.  Upgrade and pave TCH, 6 km east of Howley to Birchy Narrows                                 Mar. 3, 1999
7.  Continue four-laning TCH from Triangular Pond to Whitbourne                                    Mar. 17, 1999
8.  Upgrade TCH at Notre Dame Junction including interchange ramps                            Mar. 20, 1999
9.  Construction of Southeast Brook Bridge and associated work on TCH
      near Intersection Route 480                                                                                   Mar. 20, 1999
10. Remove CNR overpass at Spillway and replace with multi-plate underpass,
       including construction of ramps.                                                                            Mar. 31, 1999
11. Continue grading Outer Ring Road from Portugal Cove Road to Carrick Drive
       including limited construction on Bifurcation Road.                                                  Apr. 10, 1999
12. Construct rigid frame structure at Bear Cove Brook on TCH.                                      Apr. 17, 1999

REGIONAL TRUNK ROADS:

Projects: Tender date:

1.   Paving approximately 35 km Burin Peninsula Highway, Route 210                              Jan. 21, 1999
2.   Construct overpass at Country Road CBN Highway                                                   Feb. 6, 1999
3.   Reconstruct and pave 15 km Bonavista Highway, Route 230 from
      Charleston towards Port Rexton                                                                              Feb. 13, 1999
4.   Resurface approximately 15 km Route 10, Southern Shore Highway                           Mar. 6, 1999
5.   Shearstown Overpass, CBN Highway                                                                       Mar. 10, 1999
6.   Upgrade and pave section Route 340, from Summerford towards Twillingate                 Apr. 3, 1999
7.   Upgrade Route 432, Rose's Brook towards Roddickton, approximately 17 km              Apr. 10, 1999
8.   Structures for Goulds ByPass                                                                                 May of 1999
9.   Paving Conception Bay North ByPass, Bay Roberts to Tilton.                                    June of 1999

Minister Woodford said it is important to get the tender notices out at an early date so that a construction start can get underway on all of these important highway projects at the earliest possible date.

"We have a short construction season in Newfoundland and Labrador and the Department of Works, Services and Transportation is determined to make a start on all these initiatives as soon as the frost is out of the ground," Mr. Woodford said.

The minister said the early announcement of the tender date also provides valuable information to construction companies with respect to the volume and amount of work to be performed in Newfoundland and Labrador during the 1999 construction season.

Media contact: Gary Callahan, (709) 729-3015.

1999 01 18 3:05 p.m.