Posted May 16, 2009, 12:39 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: lodged against an abutment
Posts: 7,556
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Quote:
PM announces first stage of Highway 17 twinning
15 May 2009
Workers, families and businesses throughout Northwest Ontario will benefit from a major expansion of Highway 17 thanks to a joint investment by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.
"Northwest Ontario has a tremendous future as a corridor for increased travel and trade between eastern and western Canada," said Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who was joined by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty at the announcement. "This investment will improve highway safety, create short-term jobs, and help local businesses take advantage of new economic opportunities. By making this investment today, we are helping the people of Northwest Ontario seize the better jobs of tomorrow."
The new highway expansion will result in the twinning of 10 km of Highway 17 starting at the Ontario-Manitoba border and stretching eastward. It represents the first stage of a planned 40-km highway expansion that will eventually extend to Kenora, ON.
Highway 17 is part of the Trans-Canada Highway System and is the only major route for Trans-Canada traffic in Northwest Ontario. Average annual traffic exceeds 4000 vehicles per day, with summer peaks as high as 7000 vehicles. We are taking action now to enhance safety, create jobs and protect the local economy from the impact of highway closures.
Expanding Highway 17 to four lanes is one of many job-creating investments contained in the Harper Government's Economic Action Plan.
Backgrounder
Governments of Canada and Ontario invest in Highway 17
The 40-km section of Highway 17 between Kenora and the Ontario-Manitoba border is the only major East-West highway link between Ontario and Manitoba, and is part of the core National Highway System.
The Highway is a vital link for continental, regional and local traffic and commerce. During the summer months Highway 17 provides access to many tourist and recreational areas in both Ontario and Manitoba. The average traffic reaches as high as 7000 vehicles per day.
This 40-km section of Highway 17 is currently a two-lane, undivided highway with a collision rate above the provincial average. Twinning Highway 17 will enhance both safety and capacity.
The Government of Canada is allocating up to $50 million to twin the first 10 km of Highway 17 stretching from the Ontario-Manitoba border eastward. Construction work will begin in 2010.
The Highway 17 twinning project is a logical progression of the twinning projects that have occurred along the Trans-Canada Highway across the four western provinces. Manitoba intends to proceed with planning for the twinning of the final 14 km west of the Ontario border.
Federal support for this project is conditional on the project meeting all applicable eligibility and approval requirements under the Government of Canada's infrastructure plan and on the signing of a contribution agreement.
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http://www.actionplan.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?id=1481
Quote:
Northern Highway Improvements Around The Corner
McGuinty Government Invests In Highway Upgrade, Creating Up To 700 Jobs
TORONTO, May 15 /CNW/ -
Ontario is creating jobs and strengthening Northwestern Ontario's economy by improving the Trans-Canada Highway near the Manitoba-Ontario border.
The Province of Ontario and Government of Canada are upgrading a 10-kilometre stretch of the highway. The highway will be expanded from two to four lanes, improving traffic flow and trade. About 4,000 vehicles use this section of Highway 17 each day, and traffic nearly doubles in the summer months.
The $100-million project is scheduled to begin in 2010, pending environmental assessment, and will create up to 700 direct and indirect jobs. The costs of the project will be split equally between Ontario and the federal government with each contributing $50 million.
A route planning and design study is also underway to expand an additional 30 kilometres of highway between the Manitoba-Ontario border and Kenora.
QUOTES
"Improving Highway 17 will create jobs, ease traffic and make travelling quicker and safer for Northern families, tourists and businesses." - Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario
"Northern Ontario's highway network is a critical economic lifeline for the families and businesses in the North. This highway expansion will create jobs and make travel safer." - Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development and Mines
QUICK FACTS
- Highway 17 is the only route between Kenora and the Manitoba-Ontario border.
- Tourism in Northern Ontario contributes about $1.2 billion in GDP to the provincial economy and supports 19,600 jobs.
- Ontario's 2009 budget provided $32.5 billion for infrastructure investments over the next two years, including $3.75 billion for highways.
- Since 2003, the McGuinty government has committed more than $2.5 billion for provincial highways, roads and bridges in Northern Ontario.
LEARN MORE
Find out more about the plans for Highway 17
(http://webx.newswire.ca/click/?id=23f46f1b3929e69).
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http://ogov.newswire.ca/ontario/GPOE...=&lang=_e.html
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