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RICHMOND - A new Nelson Road / Highway 91 interchange will streamline truckers' access to Port Metro Vancouver, improve farming operations, and reduce congestion on the Westminster Highway for local residents and farmers.

The Nelson Road / Highway 91 Interchange will extend Nelson Road north from the Westminster Highway to connect to Highway 91 and will:

• Provide improved access to Port Metro Vancouver and greatly reduce heavy truck traffic on Westminster Highway west of Nelson Road by diverting it via Highway 91.
• Reduce traffic bottlenecks on Westminster Highway, increase traffic safety, and improve the movement of goods and people.
• Lessen congestion for farmers and improve farming operations because industrial truck traffic will no longer use Westminster Highway between No. 6 Road and Nelson Road.

The $23-million project created about 150 jobs during construction and was funded by the Government of Canada, which committed close to $6.4 million through the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund. B.C. committed $6.4 million, $8 million came from Port Metro Vancouver and more than $2 million came from the City of Richmond.

"I am proud to be here today to celebrate the completion of this interchange that will improve safety and traffic flow, by providing direct access from Highway 91 to the Port Metro Vancouver industrial lands in Richmond," said the Honourable Alice Wong, Member of Parliament for Richmond and Minister of State (Seniors), on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. "Through our Government's Economic Action Plan and projects such as these, we are creating jobs and delivering real results for communities across the country."

"About half of the traffic accessing Nelson Road each day is truck traffic," said Linda Reid, MLA for Richmond East and Deputy Speaker, on behalf of Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Blair Lekstrom. "Giving truckers a better route to Port Metro Vancouver will help them stay on time and reduce traffic on Westminster Highway making life easier and safer for families and farmers."

"Port Metro Vancouver is Canada's gateway to the world's most dynamic economies and serves as a major economic generator for British Columbia," said Robin Silvester, president & CEO, Port Metro Vancouver. "As the port plans for growth in the coming years, gateway infrastructure investments like this one will be key to improved efficiency and access, and at the same time, ensure benefits to local communities."

"This new interchange represents a vital link for our community, region, province and country," said Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie. "It will bring hundreds of new jobs to Richmond and millions of dollars of new trade and investment to BC and Canada. It will also improve our community mobility and quality of life by significantly reducing truck travel along Westminster Highway."

As part of the Government of Canada's Economic Action Plan, the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund is supporting more than 4,100 infrastructure projects across the country.

For further information on the Government of Canada's infrastructure investments in British Columbia, visit: www.creatingjobs.gc.ca

To learn more about Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit: www.actionplan.gc.ca

Quick Facts:

• Westminster Highway is currently a key road connection to the industrial area from Highway 99 and road improvements will address issues with traffic mix, vehicle capacity, safety, farming operations and community impacts.
• A portion of the remaining automobile traffic is also expected to shift from Westminster Highway to use the new Highway 91 interchange for faster access to and from Highway 99, Knight St., and other parts of Richmond, Vancouver and the North Shore.
• Port related operations support more than 80,000 direct and indirect jobs in the Lower Mainland. Trucking is an integral part of the supply chain. Recently, container trucks that access Port Metro Vancouver have met the highest truck emissions standards in Canada.

Learn More:

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/highwayprojects/Hwy91-Nelson-Interchange/index.htm

Contacts:

Vanessa Schneider
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
613 991-0700

Infrastructure Canada
Phone: 613 948-1148
1 877 250-7154 (toll free)

Kate Trotter
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
250 356-8241

Anna Deeley
Corporate Communications Specialist
Communications & Government Affairs
Port Metro Vancouver
604 665-9125
778 836-7295 (cell)
www.portmetrovancouver.com