No. H 220/07
For release November 22, 2007
NIAGARA FALLS — Construction to help reduce congestion and to keep people and goods moving along 5.2 kilometres of the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) has been completed and will be fully open to traffic on November 23, 2007, announced the Honourable Rob Nicholson, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and MP for Niagara Falls, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable Jim Bradley, Ontario Minister of Transportation and MPP for St. Catharines.
"These improvements will help boost our safety and efficiency along this busy trade and tourism route,” said Minister Nicholson. "They reflect this government’s commitment to working with its provincial partners to improve transportation infrastructure across the country."
"Today we are announcing important improvements to the QEW, Niagara’s premier trade and tourism corridor,” said Minister Bradley. “A better QEW eases congestion, increases motorist safety and supports our prosperity."
The QEW is integral to the economic prosperity of the Niagara Region and the province with links to four border crossings to the United States, which are the Queenston-Lewiston, Whirlpool, Rainbow and Peace bridges. Improving and expanding the QEW to six lanes between Glendale Avenue and Mountain Road cost $52.2 million. The federal government contributed $16 million from its Border Infrastructure Fund and the provincial government $36.2 million through its ReNew Ontario program.
"This government is committed to expanding existing infrastructure capacity, enhancing the safety of our National Highway System and the security of our border crossings, as well as supporting the Canada-U.S. Smart Border Action Plan," said Minister Cannon.
The Government of Canada's funding was provided through the $600-billion Border Infrastructure Fund, which provides financial assistance for infrastructure projects that reduce border congestion, improve the flow of goods and services and expand existing infrastructure.
This year, the Province of Ontario invested more than $1.7 billion in highway improvements through the ReNew Ontario infrastructure plan. These investments are strengthening Ontario's economic advantage and creating opportunities for the province's residents and businesses. For more information on ReNew Ontario, please visit www.pir.gov.on.ca/english/infrastructure/renew.htm.
A backgrounder with more information on the QEW border infrastructure projects is attached.
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Contacts:
Karine White
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport,
Infrastructure and Communities, Ottawa
613-991-0700
David Oved
Office of the Ontario
Transportation Minister, Toronto
416-327-9134
Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
Bob Nichols
MTO Communications Branch, Toronto
416-327-1158
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
QUEEN ELIZABETH WAY BORDER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT
The Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW), the major trade corridor linking the Greater Toronto Area to the Niagara region, is the principal transportation link to four international crossings — the Queenston-Lewiston, Rainbow, Whirlpool and Peace bridges — over the Niagara River to New York State.
Traffic flow was frequently congested during peak periods. The QEW carries an average of 74,000 vehicles per day from Glendale Avenue to Mountain Road, of which approximately 15 per cent are commercial vehicles. Summer traffic is significantly higher, with almost 100,000 vehicles per day travelling this section of highway.
In addition to widening the QEW by one lane each direction, other improvements to enhance safety, and increase capacity and operations include:
the replacement of the Canadian National Rail structure;
the rehabilitation and resurfacing of the existing Mountain Road structure;
improvements to the Glendale Road interchange and Highway 405 ramps;
improvements to the median barrier, upgrading steel beam guide rail, and paving highway shoulders;
the installation of noise walls in one residential area; and
improvements to lighting and Advanced Traffic Management Systems.
The Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario are also funding the widening of the QEW from Seventh Street Louth to Garden City Skyway in St. Catharines. This project is under construction and is scheduled to be complete in 2011.
More information about the status of the construction on these projects can be found at www.mto.gov.on.ca.
November 2007
