Seven maintenance contractors who work along Highway 16 have won this year's Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure deputy minister's contractor of the year award for highway maintenance.
The winners are: Yellowhead Road and Bridge Ltd. for Service Area 19 Fort George; Lakes District Maintenance Ltd. for Service Area 20 Robson; Yellowhead Road and Bridge Ltd. for Service Area 23 Nechako; Lakes District Maintenance Ltd. for Service Area 24 Lakes; Billabong Road and Bridge Maintenance Inc. for Service Area 25 Bulkley Nass; Nechako Northcoast Construction for Service Area 26 Skeena; and O'Brien Road & Bridge Maintenance Ltd. for Service Area 27 North Coast.
They received the award for "implementing and delivering significantly increased levels of highway winter maintenance along the Highway 16 corridor," the mininstry said in a press release issued Wednesday.
In late January, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Todd Stone raised the winter maintenance classification for Highway 16 to class A partly in answer to the number of collisions and fatalities over last winter.
"In a short timeframe, and in the middle of winter with some very challenging weather conditions, this group delivered on the ministry's commitment to increase maintenance on this highway,
making it safer and more efficient," the ministry said.
"These changes included more frequent patrols and quicker response times, with more plowing, snow removal and salt and sand applications."
