An almost $30-million contract has been awarded for the next phase of a major four-laning project on the Trans-Canada Highway through Salmon Arm.
Work will begin work this fall to expand the highway through Salmon Arm from two to four lanes and build a new Salmon River Bridge.
The $29.7-million contract was awarded to Springline Construction of Delta. Hiring local workers will be made a priority through a community benefits agreement, the province says in a press release.
"This major work to add lanes, a multi-use pathway, a bridge and a new interchange to Highway 1 through Salmon Arm will make the route safer and easier to navigate for local residents," said Catherine McKenna, federal minister of infrastructure and communities. "It will also improve traffic flow along one of British Columbia's key trade and commuter corridors."
Along with widening 2.2 kilometres of the highway to four lanes with a concrete median barrier, the project will also include: a new Salmon River Bridge; construction of an interchange with frontage and side-road connections; construction of frontage roads to consolidate access to and from Highway 1; and a multi-use pathway for pedestrians and cyclists.
"Providing good-paying construction jobs to local workers will help us build out of the COVID-19 pandemic and provide a boost to the regional economy," said Claire Trevena, B.C.'s minister of transportation and infrastructure. "Large-scale infrastructure projects like this one are more important than ever, as the financial benefits are felt not just in the construction sector but the supporting sectors as well."
The project is part of $1.04 billion committed to upgrade Highway 1 between Kamloops and the Alberta border over the next three years.
The busy section of highway carries approximately 15,500 vehicles per day on average, with peak daily volumes exceeding 21,000.
Salmon Arm Mayor Alan Harrison added: "The planned four-laning and other improvements will provide a number of benefits to our community, including a new bridge over the Salmon River, a completed access road on the south side of the highway, wider shoulders and a separated path that will increase safety and mobility for pedestrians and cyclists, and enhanced access through the corridor."
