Road improvements announced for Fortune Bay-Cape La Hune

Transportation and Works Minister Trevor Taylor announced today road improvements for the District of Fortune Bay-Cape La Hune valued at $1 million under the province�s Provincial Roads Program.

"We announced in November the early approval of the largest Provincial Roads Program in decades," Minster Taylor said. "This allows us to better address the serious need for road improvements in all areas of the province, including in Fortune Bay-Cape La Hune. We are now in a position to start the tender process in this district to ensure construction can start as early as possible."

Government has approved road work valued at $1 million for Fortune Bay-Cape La Hune district to upgrade and pave a four-kilometre section of Route 360 (from kilometres 125 to 129 of the Bay d�Espoir Highway) and to replace a culvert on Route 363 at Clutch Hill Brook.

Tenders will be called immediately for this work. It is the department�s objective to have most, if not all, of the identified projects under the program tendered by early spring. The value of the Provincial Roads Program has increased significantly in each of the last three years. Government has pre-committed $60 million in the 2006-07 budget for the program, which includes $48.4 million in new money and $11.6 million in carry over from this construction season.

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                             10:30 a.m.