DAWSON CREEK – Construction
is beginning on the Highway 97 truck-climbing lane project at Mile 6, north of Dawson Creek, to support
economic growth and improve safety, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister
Kevin Falcon and Minister of Community Development and Peace River South MLA
Blair Lekstrom said today.
“The
Province is committed to making needed transportation investments to keep up
with our thriving economy in the Peace region,” said Falcon. “We’re investing approximately $80 million in
transportation projects in the Peace region alone this year. This truck-climbing lane is one of our key
projects because it will improve traffic flow, increasing safety along Highway
97.”
Mile 6 was
selected for upgrading because it’s the first significant uphill grade between Dawson Creek and Fort St. John. This $3-million project will also consist of
intersection improvements, turning lanes and overhead lighting. There will also be widening and paving of the
Reidell Sub 308 Frontage Road.
“The Province is responding to
recommendations from the Alaska Highway 97 corridor study of 2007,” said
Lekstrom. “The study’s findings confirmed that this passing lane was needed,
and with it will come improvement in movement of goods and services, as well as
overall safety.”
The Mile 6 passing lane is one of
the many road upgrading and rehabilitation projects to be carried out as part
of a $36-million provincial investment in the South Peace district this year.
Work also includes:
- Resurfacing 31 km of
Highway 52S between the elk pit and Tumbler Ridge
- Resurfacing of six km from
Azouzetta south in the Pine
Pass and resurfacing
6.3 km on South Taylor Hill (segments on North Taylor Hill and Kiskatinaw
Hill)
- Crack-sealing on Highway
97N near Chetwynd.
- Seal-coating the northern
28 km of Highway 52N between Highway 97 and Brassey Creek.
- Expansion of the chain up
area on the South Taylor Hill near Taylor.
- Regraveling and seal-coating
about 10 km on the Old Alaska
Highway, near Taylor.
- Ditching, brushing and
gravelling along side roads in the North Rolla area (Dawson Creek)
- Traffic signal
installation and raised traffic islands at the 4th Street and Highway 2
intersection
- Traffic signal installation at the 46th street and Highway 97
intersection in Chetwynd.
- Upgrade/strengthen and
improve drainage to seven km in the Briar Ridge Subdivision area, near Dawson Creek prepare
for paving in 2009.
- Widening/strengthening and
paving about 15 km on the Boundary
Road south of Dawson Creek.
- Widening/strengthening
16.5 km and seal-coating another five km along Braden Road near Dawson Creek.
- Widening/strengthening five
km of Siphon Creek Road,
northeast of Fort St John.
- Upgrading about 15 km on the
Old Edmonton Highway
and Tate Creek roads south of Pouce Coupe.
- Replacement of Tupper Bridge
on Highway 2 in Tomslake, south of Dawson
Creek.
- Upgrading and paving about
seven km on the Briar Ridge
Road, near Dawson Creek.
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