Minister announces awarding of contracts for road work in the districts of Bellevue, Burin Placentia-West, Carbonear-Harbour Grace, Humber East and Humber Valley districts

Tom Rideout, Minister of Transportation and Works, today announced the awarding of nine contracts for road work in the districts of Bellevue, Burin-Placentia West, Carbonear-Harbour Grace, Humber East and Humber Valley. These contracts were awarded under this year�s Provincial Roads Improvement Program, which allocated $30 million for road work in the province during the 2004 construction season.

The District of Humber Valley will soon see the start up of three projects. Island Aggregates and Ready Mix Incorporated of Deer Lake has been awarded a contract valued at over $198,000 to repair Route 421 at the Beaches. It is anticipated that this work will be completed by August 31.

With the closing of tenders for Main Brook Bridge, a contract has been awarded to Hann Enterprises of Port Blandford valued at over $200,000 for the rehabilitation of this bridge. It is anticipated that this work will be completed by October 30.

Humber Valley Paving of Corner Brook was awarded a contract valued at over $285,000 for recapping a section of Route 431 from Wiltondale toward Gros Morne National Park. It is anticipated that this work will be completed by September 30

Nortech Construction of St. John�s has been awarded a contract valued at over $227,000 following the close of tenders on July 2 to replace two culverts near Terrenceville (Route 211-10), and Grand La Pierre (Route 211) in the District of Bellevue, as well as the replacement of a culvert at Boat Harbour in the District of Burin Placentia West. "Culvert replacement will be important in the prevention of washouts and flooding which the area experienced this past spring," said the minister. It is anticipated that this work will be completed by August 31.

"Contracts valued at over $226,600 have been awarded in the District of Carbonear-Harbour Grace, for the replacement of the bridge over Clarke�s Brook at Victoria and to replace the existing culverts at Powell�s Brook, to Concord Paving Limited of Carbonear," said Minister Rideout. "This will improve the safety of the transportation network in the area, which is a high priority for government." It is anticipated that this work will be completed by August 30.

In the District of Humber East, a tender was awarded to repair rutting on the old Trans Canada Highway, near the Diemer Property in Pasadena. "Humber Valley Paving Limited of Corner Book was awarded a contract worth approximately $92,000 to complete this work," said Minister Rideout.

The award of these tenders represents over $1 million in road work for the province. Statistics Canada estimates that for every million dollars spent on road work, 12 direct and eight indirect jobs are created.

Media contact: Lori Lee Oates, Communications, (709) 729-3015

2004 07 15                                       11:45 a.m.