Feds, territory announce $80M in N.W.T. road improvements

Nine bridges and three community access roads in N.W.T. will be upgraded in$80.9 million worth of transportationinfrastructure projects announced Thursday.

The federalgovernment will provide $60,675,000 through the Small Communities Fund and the Northwest Territories will contribute the remaining $20,225,000 to fund the N.W.T. Highway improvement Initiative.

In total there are 13 components of the project:

• Axe Handle Creek culvert
• Bouvier Creek culvert
• Buffalo River bridge
• Hay River to Pine Point bridge
• Hodgson Creek bridge
• Inuvik access road
• James Creek maintenance garage
• Jean Marie River bridge
• Jean Marie River access road
• Nahanni Butte access road
• Oscar Creek bridge
• Trout River bridge
• Frank Channel bridge

Construction is set tobegin this summer. N.W.T. Transportation Minister Wally Schumannsaidthe bulk of the projectswill be finished in two years time.

He said the Frank Channel bridge at Behchoko is a significant project that will include structural steel work, sandblasting, painting and rehabilitation of the deck itself.

Northwest Territories MP Michael McLeodsaid he is excited for what these projects could do for communities in the territory,including an increase in economic growth, improvements to quality of life, as well as employment opportunities.