New $1.3-million passing lane for Highway 3A between Castlegar and Nelson
By Contributor
Construction on a new Highway 3A westbound passing lane
continues to move forward under a plan to improve mobility and reduce
collisions along this section of the corridor, Transportation and
Infrastructure Minister Shirley Bond announced last week.
“This project will make a heavily travelled east-west section of the
highway much safer for commuters and motorists in outlying communities,”
said Bond. “It is a high-priority construction project that will hire
local equipment and create local jobs.”
LNB Construction Inc has been awarded a $1.3-million contract for
drilling and blasting and is set to begin immediately on a 1.9 km
stretch of Highway 3A between Nelson and Castlegar. The passing lane
will start 700 metres west of the Highway 3A and Granite Road
intersection in Nelson and end 600 metres east of Grohman Park.
During the drilling and blasting, drivers can expect road closures from
6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, and from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Saturdays and Sundays. Traffic delays are expected to be no longer than
40 minutes. The work is expected to be complete by June 30. Road grade
construction and paving will follow, with completion of the overall
project by fall 2010.
“We look forward to the start of this project and the stimulation of our
economy as the construction creates much needed employment in our area
over this coming spring and summer,” said Nelson Mayor John Dooley.
This project is part of the $38 million that will be invested this year
to improve Highways 3 and 3A to move people and goods more safely and
efficiently. Since 2001, the Province has invested approximately $155
million on 70 Highway 3/3A/3B projects. This year’s funding brings the
total investment to nearly $200 million.
The federal contribution to this project comes from the $4-billion
Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, which provides funding to provincial,
territorial and municipal construction-ready infrastructure projects.
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