No. H047/04 For release September 1, 2004 CHARLOTTETOWN - Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre, together with Prince Edward Island Transportation and Public Works Minister Gail Shea, today announced a new road construction project funded under the Canada/PEI Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program (SHIP). The latest project to be approved under the program is an intersection upgrade and highway widening along the Trans Canada Highway, locally referred to as the Charlottetown Perimeter Highway or Riverside Drive. The $2.3 million project will extend a four-lane section of Riverside Drive from Southgate Avenue to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital intersection, add a new right-turn-only intersection at Pioneer Drive, and widen and expand Murchison Lane to Acadian Drive and Patterson Drive past the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. "Through the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program, the Government of Canada is once again demonstrating its commitment to improving Canada's highways," said Mr. Lapierre. "This project will enhance safety and ease congestion on this well-travelled route." "The Charlottetown bypass is an essential transportation link for people, goods and services," said Transportation and Public Works Minister Gail Shea. "This project will increase road safety for area residents and the travelling public. It will also improve the capacity and efficiency of the Charlottetown bypass as a valuable transportation and trade corridor." The proposed design reflects input from consultations with area residents, the City of Charlottetown and officials from the Provincial Health Services Authority, which have been ongoing since April. The design includes the development of sidewalks along Murchison Lane to Patterson Drive for the use of area residents, hospital staff, patients and visitors. Steps have also been taken to minimize the impact on the surrounding environment. Construction on the project is conditional on successful completion of an environmental assessment, expected by the end of September, in accordance with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and related due diligence. "Widening this portion of the Trans Canada Highway is an important step in helping Prince Edward Island's infrastructure," said Charlottetown MP Shawn Murphy. "In particular, it will benefit the people of Charlottetown since residents and goods will be able to travel more efficiently and safely." "Traffic which currently uses the Pioneer Drive intersection to access Riverside Drive will now be able to do so more safely through the existing signalized intersections at Murchison Lane or Southgate Avenue," said Community and Cultural Minister Elmer MacFadyen, local MLA for the area. "I'm pleased to see these important safety measures move forward." Tenders for the project will be issued in the near future with work scheduled to be completed late this fall. The Canada/PEI Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program (SHIP) is a five-year, 50-50, cost-shared agreement signed in 2002 to provide joint funding for highway improvement projects along Prince Edward Island's portion of the National Highway System. The total value of the highway construction component of the Canada/PEI SHIP Agreement is $11.6 million ($5.8 million federal/$5.8 million provincial). Federal funding for this project is built into the existing financial framework. A backgrounder with further information on SHIP is attached. -30- Contact: Irène Marcheterre Director of Communications Office of the Minister of Transport, Ottawa (613) 991-0700 Jeff Himelman Communications Transportation and Public Works Prince Edward Island (902) 368-5112 www.gov.pe.ca 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. BACKGROUNDER STRATEGIC HIGHWAY INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM - PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND The Government of Canada is committed to improving the economy and the quality of life for Canadians by investing in highway infrastructure across Canada. As part of this commitment, Transport Canada announced the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program (SHIP) in April 2001. The program has two components: a $500 million highway construction component and a $100 million national system integration component. Under the highway component, the Government of Canada works with the provinces and territories to identify those parts of the National Highway System that - because of growing traffic and increasing trade - need immediate attention. This will result in a safer and more efficient highway system for all Canadians. An allocation formula determines how much federal funding each province and territory receives with a minimum of $4 million per jurisdiction plus a share based on population. Provinces and territories cost-share these projects on a 50-50 basis. Under this formula, the total federal allocation for the province of Prince Edward Island is $5.8 million. Under previous joint highway funding agreements since 1993, Transport Canada contributed $42.45 million to Prince Edward Island. This brings the total funding from Transport Canada to $48.25 million. An environmental assessment that will meet the requirements of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act will be undertaken before the project begins. Funding for the project is conditional on the results of the assessment and receipt of environmental approvals. Under the second component of SHIP, the government provides $100 million nationally to fund initiatives that better integrate the transportation system. These include the deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems across Canada, improvements to border crossings and improving transportation planning. Intelligent Transportation Systems include applications such as advanced systems for traveller information, traffic management, public transport, commercial vehicle operations, emergency response management and vehicle safety. SHIP continues the Government of Canada's long tradition of highway funding that started more than 80 years ago. In fact, Transport Canada has invested more than $1.7 billion between 1993 and 2003 to improve highways across Canada. The Government of Canada also invests in transportation-related infrastructure through other programs such as the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund and the Border Infrastructure Fund. For more information on the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program, please visit www.tc.gc.ca/SHIP/menu.htm. September 2004
