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Manitoba to Continue Investing in Highway Renewal in 2012-13

Manitoba will continue to repair flood-damaged highways and bridges and will make further progress on its 10-year commitment to upgrade highway infrastructure, Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton announced today with the release of the 2012-13 construction tendering schedule.

“We will make more major repairs in 2012 to highways, roads and bridges damaged in the serious flood this year, but this urgent work will not prevent the province from getting other projects underway that are already in our Highway Renewal Plan,” said Ashton.

Since launching the first five-year Highway Renewal Plan in 2007, the province has invested more than $2.3 billion and improved more than 6,000 kilometres of highways and roads.  By the end of next year’s construction season, more than $2.8 billion will have been invested in Manitoba’s infrastructure, the minister said.

“We’re very pleased the tender schedule is out now, as this allows industry to assess the nature, scope and investment priorities of the Manitoba government,” said Chris Lorenc, president of the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association.  “This early release of the tender schedule allows industry to organize its resources in preparation for bidding and this translates into competitive prices, which ultimately benefits the taxpayer.”

So far in 2011, the province has invested more than $15 million on critical, flood-related repairs to 139 highways and roads, mostly in the southwest part of the province.  More than 50 bridges also require significant repairs from the flood, Ashton said, adding that due to the large-scale task of assessing each damaged bridge, the estimated total cost of bridge repairs will be finalized during the winter and next spring. 

Any flood-damaged bridge that is no longer safe has been identified and either closed or restricted, to ensure public safety, the minister said.

More than 1,000 kilometres of roadway will see construction in 2012.  There are a number of new, significant projects scheduled to be underway next year, he added.

 The following major projects are cost-shared between the governments of Canada and Manitoba:

• continued work on CentrePort Canada Way structures and road construction,
• additional work on PTH 75 reconstruction through Morris,
• intersection improvements at PTH 15 and PR 206 at Dugald, and
• continued work on paving 15 km of PTH 10 north of Brandon.

Other significant projects supported by the Manitoba government include:

• near Winnipeg and in southeast Manitoba:
  • paving of the Trans-Canada Highway near Portage la Prairie,
  • paving of 7.5 km of PTH 6 south of Grosse Isle, and
  • paving 28 km of PTH 59 north of Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation, to PTH 11.
• southwest Manitoba:
  • completing PR 110, Brandon Eastern Access,
  • paving of PR 340 south of Shilo, and
  • paving 18 km of the Trans-Canada Highway westbound lanes near Carberry.
• central Manitoba:
  • paving 13.5 km of PTH 5, north of Riding Mountain,
  • structure rehabilitation on PTH 10 at Bowsman River, and
  • continuing work on paving 20 km of PTH 68 east of the Lake Manitoba Narrows.
• northern Manitoba:
  • paving 23 km of PTH 6 south of Grand Rapids,
  • paving 15 km of PTH 10 north of Overflowing River, and
  • grading approximately 22 km of PR 373 north of Jenpeg. 

“Manitoba is a leader in terms of funding municipalities as we provide the broadest support of any province by sharing income tax, fuel tax, gaming revenues and traffic fine revenues with municipalities,” said Ashton.  “Over half of all provincial funding is unconditional, which provides flexibility for municipalities to address their infrastructure and service priorities.”

The tendering schedule for the 2012 construction season has been issued, so contractors can prepare to bid on projects for the next construction season.  The document is available at www.gov.mb.ca/mit/contracts/index.  In addition, other projects related to flood repairs and the flexible response fund will be tendered next year.