Archived News Releases

September 3, 2014

The road construction season continues in high gear this fall and it remains important to use caution, follow all signage and slow down when passing construction workers, Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton said today, following the release of a comprehensive list of highway improvement projects over the next five years and a review of Manitoba’s highway network.

“As Manitoba’s population and economy continue to grow with each year, so do the demands on the province’s highway system.  That is why Manitoba is building like never before,” said Minister Ashton.  “The construction industry has a limited window of time to start or complete many projects and we must make that job as safe and efficient for them as possible.”

Thousands of construction workers are on hundreds of jobs across the province, improving the ride and making Manitoba roads safer, though flood-fighting efforts during the summer required support from dozens of heavy construction contractors and trucking companies who would otherwise have been engaged in road work, the minister said.

Major provincial projects underway or to be started this fall include:

• PR 340 – $1.7 million, PR 453 to 10.4 kilometres north of PR 453;
• PR 373 – $2.5 million, from the Minago River to 21.8 km north of the river;
• PR 240 – $1 million, bridge project at Tobacco Creek;   
• PR 481 – $4.4 million, Cayer to Crane River;
• Trans-Canada Highway east – $2.7 million, Birch River Bridge;
• Trans-Canada Highway east – $11 million, Brokenhead River to Greater Winnipeg Water District Railway; 
• Trans-Canada Highway west – $20.3 million, near Portage la Prairie; 
• Trans-Canada Highway west – $5 million, PTH 5 to PR 351;
• Trans-Canada Highway west – $13 million, PR 254 to King Street, Virden;
• PTH 1A – $5 million, Victoria Avenue in Brandon;
• PTH 1A – $3.7 million, Brandon to Kemnay;
• PTH 3 – $2.4 million, PTH 34 to Pembina River;
• PTH 5 – $6.2 million, south junction of PR 265 to PR 261;
• PTH 6 – $18.7 million, north junction of PTH 68 to 2.5 km south of PR 325;
• PTH 6 – $19.5 million, Grosse Isle to north of Woodlands;
• PTH 7 – $21.4 million, 1.6 km south of PTH 101 to 2.3 km north of PTH 67;
• PTH 9 – $4 million, 0.8 km north of PTH 9A (Craig Avenue) to 2.8 km north of PTH 9A;
• PTH 10 – $5 million, Cowan to PR 268;
• PTH 10 – $9 million, between Boissevain and Minto;
• PTH 10 – $4.2 million, from the Flin Flon Airport Access to PTH 10A;
• PTH 10 – $13 million, PTH 25 to 4.5 km south of PTH 24;
• PTH 12 – $17.9 million, for three projects:  Seine River Diversion to the Trans-Canada Highway, PTH 52 through Steinbach and the intersection at Blumenort;
• PTH 12 – $6.75 million, bridges at Sprague Creek and Mud Creek, near Sprague;  
• PTH 13 – $8.5 million, north of Carman to Elm Creek;
• PTH 16 – $16 million from PR 264 to PTH 42;
• PTH 23 – $3.7 million, St. Leon Access to PR 244;
• PTH 30 – $2.4 million, 10.3 km section of PTH 30 south of PTH 14;
• PTH 39 – $12 million, six km west of PR 596 and ending at 10 km east of PR 596;
• PTH 42 – $3 million, PR 472 to PR 264;
• PTH 59 – $18.6 million, north of the Brokenhead First Nation to PTH 11;
• PTH 75 – $27 million, Aubigny to Ste. Agathe;
• PTH 83 – $11.7 million, 0.8 km north of PTH 16 to PR 482;
• PTH 83 – $5.8 million, bridge construction 3.25 km north of Pipestone across Pipestone Creek;  
• PTH 100 – $500,000, traffic lights and a turning lane at the intersection of the Perimeter Highway (PTH 100) at PR 330, just south of Winnipeg; and
• PTH 101 – $4 million, PTH 190 to PTH 6, several interchanges on the north Perimeter Highway. 

The minister also released the 2014-15 Manitoba Highway Renewal Program report, which includes a list of approved projects with information to help the industry grow its capacity to build and improve Manitoba’s roads, highways and bridges.  The minister noted the list delivers on a commitment made to industry to help them plan, grow capacity and deliver a construction program far larger than any in Manitoba’s history.  It will be updated annually.

“This document provides a detailed update on the various pieces of Manitoba’s transportation network and identifies the challenges and next steps for renewal and expansion,” said Minister Ashton.  “Once complete, these new or revitalized transportation networks will connect Manitobans safely to vital services, employment, education, health care and a sustainable quality of life in their communities.”

The minister noted the projects identified in this update do not represent every project in Manitoba’s $3.7-billion, five-year commitment but it does provide a valuable blueprint for a larger share of the work. 

“To keep Manitoba competitive and build our core infrastructure, we all have a part to play.  That is why this report is so important,” said Chris Lorenc, president, Manitoba Heavy Construction Association.  “We have to get started.  We have to plan ahead to get the most for our dollar and when there are delays, we have to work together to carry those resources forward and get the job done.”

In March, the government committed to invest $320 million in flood protection, $1.5 billion in municipal infrastructure and a historic $3.7 billion on roads, highways and bridges, said the minister.  Highlights of the report include a detailed update on projects covering various pieces of Manitoba’s transportation network, an annual gauge of progress and a list of projects.

Manitoba’s approximately 19,000-km road network includes:

• 8,700 km of concrete or asphalt pavement;
• 4,400 km of asphalt surface treatment;
• 6,000 km of gravel roads; and
• 2,250 provincial highway bridges, overpasses and large culverts.

The Manitoba government also constructs and operates 2,300 km of winter roads annually to supply northern and remote communities, the minister added.

To view the 2014-15 Manitoba Highway Renewal Program go to: www.manitoba.ca/mit/highwayrenewal/.

The latest information on road restrictions is available at www.gov.mb.ca/mit/srr/ and up-to-date details on Manitoba road conditions are available any time at 511 (toll-free), at www.mb511.ca or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MBGovRoads. 

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