Transportation and Works
January 17, 2007$150 Million
Targeted for Province�s Roads
The Williams Government continues its aggressive
approach to highway revitalization by announcing it intends to invest
$150 million to improve provincial roads this year.
The Honourable John Hickey, Minister of Transportation and Works,
confirmed today the province will once again invest $60 million in the
2007-08 budget for the Provincial Roads Improvement Program and plans to
inject a further $90 million for various roads projects under other
programs.
�This is a great day for motorists who drive the roads of Newfoundland
and Labrador,� said Minister Hickey. �This government�s unprecedented
commitment to province�s highways cannot be denied.�
The Provincial Roads Improvement Program has doubled in value from $30
million in 2004-05 to $60 million in 2006-07 and will be $60 million
again in 2007-08.
Among the projects slated for the 2007-08 Provincial Roads Improvement
Program is approximately $5 million to address wheel-rutting on the
Trans-Canada Highway, and approximately $4.5 million for bridge repair
and replacement. The announcement of specific roads projects will
commence in the coming weeks.
�This significant funding clearly indicates government is committed to
providing the best transportation network possible for all sectors of
society,� said Minister Hickey.
�This funding is an investment in our economy. It impacts the tourism
and trucking industries, to name a few, and is obviously of great
benefit to local motorists as well, who will encounter smoother, safer
roads in the near future.�
Of course, the early announcement of the Roads Improvement Program will
allow the tendering process and construction to begin earlier than in
past years. Last year, government pre-approved roads funding earlier
than usual which was embraced by the industry.
�I�m very happy government has once again committed to funding early in
the year,� said Dan Spracklin, president of the Newfoundland and
Labrador Road Builders and Heavy Equipment Association. �The early
tendering worked out very well last year with very little carry-over.�
In fact, only around two per cent of the anticipated work was carried
over in this current fiscal year.
�This government will spend over $59 million of the $60 million roads
improvement funds in this current fiscal year and we fully expect to
spend the entire amount in the next fiscal year as well,� said Minister
Hickey.
In addition to the $60 million Roads Improvement Program, $25 million
will be invested for repairs to sections of the Trans-Canada Highway in
the central and west coast regions of the province. Funding will come
from the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund (C-SIF) and will be
cost-shared between the provincial and federal governments.
Other road improvement plans include:
- $17 million for ongoing construction of Phase III
of the Trans-Labrador Highway;
- $15 million to commence hard-surfacing of Phase I
of the Trans-Labrador Highway � subject to cost-sharing with the
federal government;
- $15 million for summer maintenance, including
line-painting, pothole patching and guide rail replacement;
- $10 million to start the Torbay By-Pass and
extend the Team Gushue Highway, subject to federal government
cost-sharing;
- $8 million for land acquisition for road
right-of-ways.
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Media contact:
David Salter
Director of Communications
Department of Transportation and Works
709-729-3015, 691-3577
davidsalter@gov.nl.ca
2007 01 17
10:35 a.m.