Transportation and Works
Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs
February 23, 2011

Tenders Called for More Paving on Phase I of Trans Labrador Highway

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador today issued two tender calls for the paving of 160 kilometres of Phase I of the Trans Labrador Highway (TLH).

“These two tenders for 80 kilometres of paving each marks another step forward in our commitment to the hard-surfacing of Phase I,” said the Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Transportation and Works. “We hope to get these contracts in place by the end of March, so crews can begin work as soon as possible in the spring and make the most of the upcoming paving season.”

The first of the two sections begins 92 kilometres west of Happy Valley-Goose Bay and continues 80 kilometres west toward Churchill Falls. The second section is an 80-kilometre stretch of highway from near the Ranger Lake highway depot toward Churchill Falls.

“A key focus of the Northern Strategic Plan is improved transportation infrastructure within Labrador, and one objective is the completion of hard-surfacing of Phase I of the Trans Labrador Highway,” said the Honourable John Hickey, Minister of Labrador Affairs. “With the calling of tenders for an additional 160 kilometres of paving, we are coming ever closer to achieving that goal.”

To date, the Provincial Government has invested more than $93 million in the widening and hard-surfacing of Phase I of the TLH.

“This is great news for anyone travelling the section of highway between Labrador West and the Lake Melville region,” said Jim Baker, MHA for Labrador West. “Our government is continuing to follow through on its commitment to hard-surface this section of highway and it is providing tangible benefits to people and businesses throughout Labrador.”

The hard-surfacing of Phase I of the highway is scheduled to be completed by 2014.

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Media contacts:

Roger Scaplen Director of Communications Department of Transportation and Works 709-729-3015, 697-5267 rogerscaplen@gov.nl.ca	John Tompkins Director of Communications Department of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs 709-729-1674, 728-7762 jtompkins@gov.nl.ca
Donna Ivey Communications Manager Government Members Office 709-729-0898, 697-1424 donnaivey@gov.nl.ca

2011 02 23             10:05 a.m.