Province, feds splitting $306M cost of extending divided TCH in eastern and central Newfoundland
The provincial and federal governments will split the cost of a project to divide two sections of the Trans-Canada Highway in Newfoundland, totalling approximately 55 kilometres.
In a news conference on Monday, federal Infrastructure Minister Dominic LeBlanc said both levels of government will each spend up to $153 million on the project.
"These changes will enhance year-round transportation connections, improve traffic flow and make the Trans-Canada Highway more resilient to climate change and extreme weather events," he said, pointing to post-tropical storm Fiona as an example.
Currently, the divided section of the Trans-Canada Highway ends near Whitbourne, approximately 60 kilometres west of St. John's. LeBlanc said the new project will see that divided section extend by approximately 40 kilometres, to Little Harbour East.
The province will also add a 15-kilometre divided section between Grand Falls-Windsor and Bishops Falls.
LeBlanc said the project will include new culverts and higher-capacity interchanges.
Further, the province is getting $20 million to add 15 kilometres of passing lane to the highway leaving Port aux Basques.
Premier Andrew Furey said the funding is separate from previously-announced roads upgrades.
He said the procurement process for the project will begin immediately, though he didn't give a timeline for project completion.
"Nothing's going to happen overnight, I think we all know that," he said.
LeBlanc said the federal government is also committed to the completion of the Team Gushue Highway, which currently stretches from the Outer Ring Road in St. John's to Topsail Road.
The plan is to eventually connect the highway to Pitts Memorial Drive and Robert E. Howlett Memorial Drive, but the project has faced numerous delays. The first 2.3-kilometre section opened in 2006, with a second four-kilometre section opening in 2018.
"It's part of a sort of final list the two governments agreed upon in terms of federal-provincial infrastructure fundings," he said.
LeBlanc said Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan — who represents St. John's South-Mount Pearl — will have an announcement about the Team Gushue Highway "in the coming days."
Furey said his government is "fully committed and fully certain" the project will be completed.
Furey argues for reversal of Marine Atlantic surcharge
Meanwhile, provincial officials said last week the province was considering legal action against the federal government over a four per cent increase to the fuel surcharge on Marine Atlantic crossings, set to come into effect June 1.
Furey said he spoke to federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra over the weekend to argue for the reversal of the increase.
"I expressed my disappointment and frustration with this move from Marine Atlantic," he said. "It's a critical piece for us in the province and the delivery of goods and services."
Furey said he argued for the reversal of the the increase, and changes to Marine Atlantic's cost-recovery model, which he called "broken."
Furey said discussions are continuing, but didn't say if the increase will be reversed.
