No. H117/03For release October 14, 2003HIGHWAY TWINNING PROJECT COMPLETED IN NEW BRUNSWICKSAINT-JACQUES, N.B. -- MP (Madawaska-Restigouche) Jeannot Castonguay, on behalf of Transport Minister David Collenette, together with Premier Bernard Lord and New Brunswick Transportation Minister Paul Robichaud, today announced the completion of a project that twinned a 7.2 kilometre portion of the Trans-Canada Highway from the Quebec Border to Saint-Jacques. This project was funded under the Canada/New Brunswick Highway Improvement Program Agreement at a cost of $11.75 million, which was shared equally between the Province of New Brunswick and the Government of Canada. "This highway improvement project will go a long way to helping reduce traffic congestion and promoting efficiency. This benefits our economy as commercial traffic from Atlantic Canada uses this road to deliver goods to Ontario, Quebec, and the United States," said Mr. Castonguay."The completion of the four-lane Trans-Canada Highway is a top infrastructure priority of our government," Mr. Lord said. "Building strategic infrastructure such as the Trans-Canada highway is key to growing prosperity and becoming more competitive, not only in New Brunswick, but in all of Atlantic Canada."The Highway Improvement Program was signed in 1987 and will end in 2004. It is providing $637 million for New Brunswick highways, with a total federal contribution of $358 million. Since 1999, the Province of New Brunswick has invested more than $1 billion in highway infrastructure in the province."I am pleased that the Government of Canada has contributed to this important project," said Mr. Collenette. "This portion of the Trans-Canada Highway serves as a major trade and tourism route, and these improvements will help improve the flow of traffic and enhance safety along this road.""Today's opening represents the first seven of 65 kilometres of four-lane Trans-Canada highway that will open in New Brunswick this year," Mr. Robichaud said. "This work will mean important improvements in the safety and efficiency of our highway system in our province."-30- Contacts: Maurice Landry Director of Communications Atlantic Region Transport Canada (506) 851-7562 Tracey Burkhardt Director of Communications New Brunswick Department of Transportation (506) 453-5634 Chisholm Pothier Communications Office of the Premier (506) 453-2144 Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca.Subscribe to news releases and speeches at apps.tc.gc.ca/listserv/ and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada. This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons with visual disabilities.
