Road and bridge improvements announced for Lewisporte district

NLIS 3
December 16, 2005
(Transportation and Works)

Transportation and Works Minister Trevor Taylor and Minister Tom Rideout, MHA for Lewisporte District, today announced road work and bridge improvements valued at $2.75 million under the 2006-07 Provincial Roads Program.

"We are now ready to go to tender for this work," Minister Taylor said. "This is the earliest in recent memory that the department has ever received budget approval, allowing us to go to tender sooner and start construction much earlier in the season."

The road work and bridge improvements for Lewisporte district total $2.75 million and include:

Upgrade and paving of about 11 kilometres of Comfort Cove Road, Route 343;

Upgrade and paving of about 4.6 kilometres of Laurenceton Road;

Replace expansion joints and curbs, Rattling Brook Bridge #2, Route 351.

"This is tremendous news for the residents of Lewisporte district and it marks one of the largest investments in road work for the area in years," said Minister Rideout, the area�s MHA. "The work on Laurenceton Road will complete the upgrades and paving between Brown�s Arm and Laurenceton that was started last summer. In addition, the paving of approximately 11 kilometres into Comfort Cove-Newstead will make a tremendous contribution to the quality of driving in the area for residents and visitors. As MHA, I committed to making the concerns of my constituents my top priority and I am pleased to have delivered on this funding for improvements to road infrastructure in the area."

In November, government announced the early approval of the largest Provincial Roads Program in decades to address the serious need for improvements to the road network and allow for more timely tender calls and greater use of the short construction season.

Government has pre-committed $60 million in the 2006-07 budget for the Provincial Roads Program, which includes $48.4 million in new money and $11.6 million carried over from the 2005-06 construction season. This is being done in recognition of the significant annual investment required to address the serious deterioration of the province�s roads network as a result of years of under investment.

For more details on the announcement of the 2006/07 Provincial Roads Program, please visit the government Web site at //www.gov.nl.ca/releases/2005/tw/1123n02.htm

Media contact: Tracy Barron, Communications, (709) 729-3015, 691-3577

2005 12 16 10:10 a.m.

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