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Transportation and Works
June 5, 2012

The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Transportation and Works:

Minister Recognizes Transportation Week

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House to inform all Honourable Members that this week is Transportation Week in jurisdictions throughout North America.

This occasion helps us reflect on the significance of the 9,000 plus kilometres of road, over 800 bridges, 18 owned or contracted ferries in the provincial fleet, and other vital links we maintain in our provincial transportation network. It also helps us appreciate the people who make their living by travelling, building, or maintaining these links.

Transportation is a priority for the Provincial Government, as seen in our multi-year infrastructure investments now valued at almost $5 billion. Some of our most impressive projects involve enhancements to road and bridge infrastructure, and Budget 2012 made $165.1 million available for these enhancements.

This year, $13 million will be used to carve a corridor for the Team Gushue Highway extension, which will enhance traffic flow throughout the Avalon Peninsula. Another $10 million is being used to improve the flow of people and goods on the west coast by twinning the highway in Corner Brook. With an investment of $65.8 million this year, the final contracts were awarded that will see the completion of Phase I of the Trans Labrador Highway in 2014. Our Budget 2012 investment will also continue our work on the Torbay Road Bypass and the Conception Bay South Bypass; support our continuous upkeep of the Trans Canada Highway; and soon begin the replacement of one of the few lift bridges in North America - the Placentia Lift Bridge. Mr. Speaker, this investment is creating employment opportunities in the skilled trades, encouraging economic development, moving people and goods, and connecting communities, all to the benefit of current and future Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

Mr. Speaker, these projects would not be possible without the professionalism of heavy civil workers throughout the province. The fine women and men who work on our transportation infrastructure make it possible to maintain reliable and sustainable transportation links that support the social and economic needs of the province. I also want to recognize the dedication of everyone involved in trucking and shipping goods throughout our vast province, as their efforts contribute greatly to our well-being everyday.

Thank you Mr. Speaker.

2012 06 05             1:50 p.m.

 
 
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