Residents in the Peace will see increased levels of dust control this year, with $1.2 million dedicated for dust suppression along dirt and gravel roads, announced Blair Lekstrom, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.

Dust control is applied to specific sections of road to address concerns associated with dust near homes, school zones, playgrounds, businesses and community buildings.

In addition to these specified locations, the ministry annually applies full-length dust control on roads identified by the Province and road users as critical commercial and industry routes with high traffic volumes and a wide spectrum of road users.

In 2010, the ministry allocated an additional $500,000 in support of this program. The ministry's contribution of $1.2 million this year for dust control is more than double last year's, and shows the ministry's continued commitment to improving road safety in the Peace.

As well as the ministry commitment of $1.2 million, the road and bridge maintenance contractors, Caribou Road Services and Yellowhead Road and Bridge, also spend approximately $1 million annually on dust suppression.

Quotes:

Blair Lekstrom, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure -

"We are addressing the concerns of residents by increasing our dust control activity in the Peace. This work, along with our efforts to increase the number of hard-surfaced roads in rural subdivisions, will improve the quality of life for many families in the Peace.

"We're increasing our dust suppression budget to keep pace with the increased industrial traffic on our rural roads. We want to ensure that families continue to enjoy their chosen lifestyle without being negatively affected by excess dust."

Quick Facts:

* Of the more than 19,000 km of dirt and gravel roads in the province, 3,000 km are located in the Peace.

* The Province has invested more than $925 million in road and bridge improvements and maintenance in the Northeast since 2001.

* A side-road improvement program in partnership with the Ministry of Energy over the past eight years has resulted in over 1,400 km of strengthened and widened road, and more than 800 km of road has been hard-surfaced.

Learn More:

Follow the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure online at: http://www.tranbc.ca/

Contact:

Jeff Knight

Communications Manager

Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure

250 356-7707

Connect with the Province of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect