 |
|
PRINCE GEORGE – Residents of Prince George will benefit from $28 million in joint federal and provincial funding to replace Stone Creek Bridge on Highway 97 with a new, four-lane bridge, announced today by Member of Parliament for Cariboo-Prince George Dick Harris,
Prince George-Mount Robson MLA Shirley Bond, and Prince George North MLA Pat Bell.
The Stone Creek Bridge was built in 1957, and is approaching the end of its serviceable life. The current, two-lane structure will be replaced with a new, four-lane structure. Crews will also be four-laning 1.5 km of Highway 97 south of the bridge to tie in with the existing four-lane section constructed in 2005/ 2006. Construction is slated to begin in November 2009 and finish in March 2011.
“This is our Economic Action Plan in action for Prince George,” said Harris. “This joint investment is a prime example of the federal government and the provincial government working together, getting the job done and putting the shovels in hands to create jobs.”
“The investments our governments are making in local highways and bridges are critical to ensuring the movement of goods and people across the region,” said Bond. “This is fantastic news for residents and travellers alike. Our government recognizes the need to invest in rural and Northern highway infrastructure and ensure that we continue to support the ongoing development of the North as a transportation hub.”
“We want to create a smoother and safer flow of traffic along Highway 97, and that’s why we’re investing in this new bridge,” said Bell. “This project will improve travel and safety conditions for motorists, and is expected to create approximately 180 jobs, at a time when the need for economic stimulus is greatest.”
This project is part of the $290-million infrastructure investment, recently announced by the Government of Canada and the Province of B.C.
The
provincial portion of the funding comes from an overall $14-billion
capital infrastructure program supported by the Province that will create up to
88,000 jobs and help build vital public infrastructure in every region of B.C.
The federal portion of the funding comes from the $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund to provide funding to provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure projects. Funding will be available for two years for projects that will begin during the 2009 and 2010 construction seasons. This initiative is structured to flow funding and get shovels in the ground quickly.
-30-
|
contact: |
Communications Manager Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure 250 356-7707 |
|
|
|
||
|
For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. |
||
