April 3, 2014
Province Announces Major Highway Projects to Benefit Northern Economy Around The Pas
– – –Economic Investment of up to $16.5 Million in Projects to Begin this Year, Another $55 Million Planned for Northwest Roads over Next Five Years: Minister Ashton
THE PAS—Families and businesses in The Pas, the Opaskwayak First Nation and other communities in the Rural Municipality of Kelsey will benefit from millions of dollars in provincial road repairs and upgrades over the next five years, Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton announced here today.
“This government has made an historic investment in our northern Manitoba roads and bridges and we will continue to do so because we recognize the importance of these links to increasing safety and building the northern economy,” said Minister Ashton. “Good highways and bridges are important to local families and businesses, tourists and commercial drivers. We know the best way to encourage growth in our communities is to invest in roads and bridges.”
The projects underway or starting in 2014-15 with an estimated value of $16.5 million include asphalt paving and grading for:
- PTH 10, paving 16 kilometres from north of the Red Deer River to 19.8 km south of Overflowing River; and
- PTH 10, paving 30 km from Wanless to PTH 39.
Further projects already slated to start in upcoming years are valued at $55.1 million and include:
- PTH 10, paving 17.6 km between The Pas and PR 287;
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PR 283:
- grade, base and asphalt surface treatment one km west of The Pas at the Pasquia River; and
- paving 22 km from the Saskatchewan Border to PR 282;
- PR 285, paving nine km from PTH 10 to Lapointe Road;
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PR 287:
- 11-km paving project from PTH 10 to The Pas airport; and
- grading 38 km from PR 384 to Cormorant;
- PR 373, two structures and completing a grading, base and asphalt surface treatment on PR 373 to Norway House and PR 374 to Cross Lake.
“These investments build on and a recently completed major paving project along PTH 10 from Overflowing River to a point 20 km south of Overflowing River and $56 million of recently announced further road improvements along PTH 10 in the Swan River and Dauphin areas, and these projects will extend the improvements north into The Pas region,” said Minister Ashton. “PTH 10 is an important north-south link on the west side of the province, supporting commercial and tourist traffic.”
The minister noted today’s announcement is part of the province’s new $5.5-billion, five-year core infrastructure plan developed in consultation with municipalities, business, labour leaders and industry associations across Manitoba.
Highlights from an independent analysis conducted by the Conference Board of Canada project that Manitoba’s $5.5-billion investment in core infrastructure will:
- boost Manitoba’s economy by $6.3 billion,
- boost exports by $5.4 billion, and
- boost retail sales by $1.4 billion.
The board also estimates these investments will create 58,900 jobs and that each $1 invested in the five-year plan will benefit Manitoba’s economy by $1.16.
The five-year plan can be found at www.gov.mb.ca/mit/pdf/five-yr-plan.pdf.
Drivers are reminded to slow down and use caution approaching and in construction zones, for their own safety and the safety of workers. The latest information on lane closures and road conditions is available anytime at 511 (toll-free), at www.mb511.ca or by following the Twitter account at www.twitter.com/MBGovRoads.
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