NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release 2008TRAN0031-001019 July 2, 2008	Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
ROAD AND TRANSIT UPGRADES BENEFIT NORTH PEACE

FORT ST. JOHN – The Province is investing $43.9 million in transportation improvements for the Fort St. John and North Peace area this year, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Kevin Falcon and Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Minister and Peace River North MLA Richard Neufeld announced today.

 

            “The Province continues to improve roads in the North Peace to support economic growth, to systematically improve year-round load capacity for industry and to improve safety for the travelling public,” said Falcon.

 

            Work taking place includes a $9-million project to complete paving and replace a bridge on Upper Halfway Road.

 

Other projects include:

 

• Paving on Airport Road, Baldonnel Road, Road 255, Montney Hwy and South Montney Coulee.
• Paving of the West Bypass Road in Fort St John.
• Completion of the Cache Creek Bridge replacement project.
• Completion of paving on 85^th Avenue in Fort St. John.
• Additional graveling, ditching and brushing on North Peace roads.
• Completion of four-laning from Road 269 to Road 271 in Fort St. John.

 

            “These projects will benefit residents and industry throughout the North Peace,” said Neufeld. “Protecting and upgrading our roads will also support the increased activity by oil and gas companies in their exploration, drilling and production endeavours.”

 

            Falcon also announced $341,000 in transit funding for the Fort St. John area, including $206,000 to purchase and run a second handyDart bus. These buses provide door-to-door transit service for people with disabilities and others who cannot use conventional bus service. The remaining $135,000 in provincial funding will support service expansions to Fort St. John’s regular bus service.

 

            “This new handyDart bus in Fort St. John will allow more people here to enjoy the benefits of public transit,” said Falcon. “We believe in accessible transit throughout B.C. and are providing the money needed to make that happen.”

 

The provincial funding announced today is part of the funding from the Provincial Transit Plan, which aims to double transit ridership provincewide by 2020 by increasing choices for travellers. The $14-billion plan also focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from cars by 4.7 million tonnes cumulatively by 2020.

 

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Media contact:	Jeff Knight Communications Manager Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure 250 356-7707
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