If it wasn’t for road builders and highway maintenance experts, many parts to British Columbia and its lush forests, picturesque lakes and rivers and rugged mountain scenery would be inaccessible.
The provincial government recognizes the efforts of local contractors to keep people and goods on the move and on Friday released its choices for B.C. Contractor of the Year awards to celebrate achievements in construction, road/bridge maintenance, safety and community service.
Following are the award winners:
Community Service
Yellowhead Road & Bridge Ltd. (Vanderhoof) partnered with the non-profit Murray Ridge Ski Area to provide road maintenance, snow removal and parking-lot care to ensure safe travel for students on ski days, saving the ski club thousands of dollars each season while also making skiing more affordable for people in the community. Yellowhead also partnered with the Stellat'en First Nation on the Stella Road pedestrian walkway project, donating materials, equipment and more than 550 person hours. The one-kilometre path separates pedestrians from traffic and enjoys widespread community use, including people who use wheelchairs.
Paving
Dawson Construction Limited resurfaced more than 54 kilometres of Highway 97 at Hixon, south of Prince George, using 15 per cent recycled-asphalt pavement created a smoother and sustainable road. The company also helped manage traffic during the wildfire season and completed the project ahead of schedule and within budget.
Bridges and Structures
Gitga'at Park Derochie Industrial Services Inc. rehabilitation of the Old Skeena Bridge near Terrace. The project preserved the circa 1925 bridge's historical significance. The company added a second shift and finished the work four months ahead of schedule.
Grading
Thompson Brothers Construction completed the Highway 29 Lynx Creek bridge replacement and highway-realignment project north of Chetwynd, required after the flood of November 2022. The project included a large highway-embankment fill, 150 metre bridge and a 280 m causeway to cross Lynx Creek. The company moved more than two million cubic metres of material to extend a stability berm, provide embankment-wave protection and adapted final grading despite the challenges of wildfire evacuations.
