$200M coming for road, bridge work

The province put an additional $200 million toward a rural roads and bridges rehabilitation program and water system repair across the province on Friday while stating that more money for municipal construction could be announced as soon as next week.

Premier Jason Kenney and Transportation Minister Ric McIver made the announcement saying the extra cash could create about 1,800 jobs for the summer construction season, while the 123 projects will help meets the needs of municipalities.

‘’This will get Albertans working soon, like this weekend,” said McIver.

Specifically, the Strategic Transportation Infrastructure will see a $50-million increase to the $60-million program in 2020 that replaces and upgrades bridges and rural resources roads determined by local counties.

Water grants involve water and sewer projects, and are open to all municipalities, though $13 million is earmarked to connect the Ermineskin Cree Nation to a regional system near Ponoka.

Other project locations were not made public.

Last month, the City of Medicine Hat said it had compiled a list of projects that could begin in relatively short order for Alberta Municipal Affairs to consider.

The province announced that an additional $2 billion would be allocated in transport and infrastructure ministries’ capital plans this year in the interest of boosting construction activity and the economy in light of COVID-19.

Already announced are measures to boost the level of road maintenance and general upkeep projects at provincial buildings, including schools.

Some off-ramp changes are scheduled to take place at the interchange of Highways Nos. 1 and 3 in Medicine Hat, as well as local highway lighting upgrades.