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Minister says additional $7 million in revenue from Motor Vehicle Registration program invested in improving highway infrastructure Tom Rideout, Minister of
Transportation and Works, today reiterated government�s position regarding
the investment of additional revenue gained from the Motor Vehicle
Registration program. The minister said: "The entire $7 million in
additional revenue has been reinvested in this department�s 2004-05
Provincial Roads Improvement Program.
"The Provincial Roads
Improvement Program for 2004-05 is valued at $30 million. That represents a
$7 million increase over and above the value of the roads program for
2003-04.
"The previous
administration failed to spend substantial amounts of provincial funds on
our provincial highway network. Using federal funds, the focus over the last
decade has been to upgrade and build roads to add capacity. However, the
previous administration neglected to maintain the provincial highway system
throughout the province.
"Throughout the 1990s, a
relatively small amount of provincial funding was allocated to the roads
program. One year the allocation was as low as $4 million. This resulted in
provincial roads being neglected and thus deteriorating. That is why our
attention is now on maintaining our existing infrastructure."
The focus of this year�s
roads program is on preventative maintenance as opposed to new road
construction. Preventative maintenance on existing infrastructure is far
less costly than outright replacement or extensive repairs in the future.
This position is supported by the National Research Council, which has
indicated that replacement costs are actually 10 times greater than
preventative maintenance costs.
"Safe highway
infrastructure for the residents of our province is a top priority for this
government," said the minister. "We will continue to make
strategic investments in our highway infrastructure."
This year�s Provincial Roads
Improvement Program provides funding for improving the provincial highway
network, as well as maintenance on the Trans Canada Highway. It also
provides funds for rehabilitation and replacement of bridges and culverts.
"Our government is also
diligently working on an infrastructure strategy for the province,"
said Minister Rideout. "This demonstrates government�s commitment to
providing a safe and reliable highway infrastructure throughout the
province."
Media contact: Lori Lee Oates,
Communications, (709) 729-3015 or (709) 690-8403
2004 11 03 1:25 p.m. |
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