The Provincial Government�s 24-hour snow-clearing pilot project will come to an end early Friday morning (April 3).

Last October, the Williams Government invested $1.7 million to make 24-hour snow clearing available on various parts of the Trans Canada Highway (TCH) and some major trunk roads in this province. It was the first time for such coverage since 1979.

The Honourable Trevor Taylor, Minister of Transportation and Works, said officials in his department have been reviewing the pilot project and will take the next few months to finalize their analysis.

"Depending on the outcome of our research, the department will determine what stretches of road will be included next year as we complete this two-year pilot project," said Minister Taylor. "Safety is the number one priority of the Department of Transportation and Works and we are always interested in investigating ways to make our roads safer for the traveling public."

When the pilot project wraps up on Friday, Department of Transportation and Works snow-clearing crews will return to their regular hours of approximately 4:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Minister Taylor also announced that the department expects to end its winter maintenance program on May 5.

- 30 -