When the Manitoba NDP Government sprung a surprise one per cent increase in the PST two years ago, the government promised to devote all the funds raised from the highly unpopular move on infrastructure renewal.
While that didn’t turn out to be the case, in this year’s budget – which was introduced in the Legislature in late April – the Province of Manitoba has pledged to spend $1.08 billion on roads, bridges and flood protection measures.
That is despite the government being in a deep financial hole – which is growing deeper by the year.
Among the major projects in the works or ongoing is a new interchange at Highway 59 at the Perimeter Highway to improve traffic flows in what has been a busy intersection.
This project was first announced last year.
They also pledged to improve the Trans-Canada Highway west of Winnipeg to allow for the speed limit to be safely raised from 100 km/h to 110 km/h on June 2.
This project was also announced last year as was a pledge to continue work to improve Highway 75 so it can better withstand flooding.
This improvement to the major link between Winnipeg and the American border was first announced in 2013. The budget announcement was followed on May 1 by a second press release related to infrastructure, which reported a $57 million investment on four highway improvement projects at the starting gate.
These include a continuation of grading and grade widening on 32 kilometres of The Trans-Canada Highway east, eastbound, from Brokenhead River to the Greater Winnipeg Water District Railway crossing.
This $13 million multi-year project is being undertaken by Chabot Enterprise Limited and is expected to be completed by the end of fall 2015.
As well, paving work will continue on 23 kilometres on PTH 59 from south junction PTH 12, north of Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation, to PTH 11 including intersection improvements and realignment of PTH 12 access into Grand Beach.
This $19 million, multi-year project is being undertaken by Mulder Construction & Materials Limited and is expected to be completed this summer.
And, Nelson River Construction has won contracts worth $20 million for concrete reconstruction of 12 km on PTH 75 from PR 305 to PR 210 along the northbound lanes.
This project is expected to be completed by the fall of 2015.
About $5 million will go towards paving 17 km on PTH 100 South Perimeter Highway from PTH 75 to The Trans-Canada east, along east and west bound lanes. This project is expected to be completed by the end of June.
A number of other projects have been tendered and will be underway soon.
The infrastructure spending is part of the province’s five-year, $5.5 billion infrastructure plan. Manitoba is currently in the second year of the plan.
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