Highway 97 being made safer thanks to federal and provincial funding

FORT ST. JOHN, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - March 16, 2017) - Modern, safe and efficient roadways are crucial to encouraging economic activity, facilitating trade, and creating good paying, middle class jobs. They help Canadians arrive safely at their destinations and businesses efficiently move their goods to domestic and international markets.

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and Todd Stone, B.C. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, today announced up to $40 million in joint funding to upgrade a stretch of Highway 97 that is prone to accidents and landslides. Highway 97 is the primary route connecting British Columbia with Alaska and the Yukon. It is a main route for tourism and for transportation of natural resources from the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin.

The project involves the continuation of four lanes at the middle section of South Taylor Hill, 20 kilometres south of Fort St. John. In addition, the project will include grade and alignment improvements and extensive stabilization work to reduce the risk of slides and subsequent road closures. New wider, paved shoulders and painted medians will also contribute to highway safety.

Once complete, the improvements will increase safety and keep the route open for use by local residents, tourists and commercial drivers passing through the South Taylor Hill area.

Quotes

"We are proud to support these important upgrades to Highway 97. When workers can't easily get to work, it erodes productivity, and when businesses can't get their goods to market quickly and reliably, it undermines growth. Improving this main transportation route is critical to ensuring the safety of Canadians, and the sustainability of the businesses and communities along its route."

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi,

Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"This next phase of work on South Taylor Hill will significantly increase safety for local traffic, for tourists and for commercial traffic supporting B.C.'s natural gas, forestry and agricultural sectors. It will create more than 120 direct jobs over the life of the project and support a key B.C. on the Move commitment to continue to four-lane Highway 97 between Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, and Highway 2 between the Alberta border and Dawson Creek."

Todd Stone,

B.C. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure

Quick facts

• The Government of Canada will contribute up to $15 million through the Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure - National and Regional Projects.
• The Province of British Columbia will contribute up to $25 million.
• The Government of Canada will provide more than $180 billion in infrastructure funding over 12 years for public transit, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, transportation that supports trade, and Canada's rural and northern communities.

Associated Links

Government of Canada's $180-billion+ infrastructure plan

Federal infrastructure investments in British Columbia

Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component - National and Regional Projects

New Building Canada Plan

Project map and information: http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/tranprojectsbc/

Follow the work of the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure at: http://tranbc.ca/

B.C. on the Move

Twitter: @INFC_eng

Web: Infrastructure Canada