Four projects valued at $13 million will get underway this year, improving safety and travel for residents, visitors and commercial drivers on Highway 3 in the West Kootenay, Similkameen and Upper Fraser Valley.

In the West Kootenay, Highway 3 will be resurfaced from Kootenay Pass Summit to the east chain-up and from Canyon Lister Road to East Arrow Creek Road, a total of 9.2 km. Concrete roadside barrier will be replaced along part of the route to improve safety and shoulders will be widened to enhance travel for cyclists. This project also includes the resurfacing of Canyon Lister Road near Creston and the hard-surfacing of West Creston Road.

The project is valued at $3.7 million, and a contract for the work has been awarded to Okanagan Aggregates Ltd. from Armstrong.

Also near Creston, a $2.6-million project to rehabilitate the Old Kootenay River Channel Bridge on Highway 3 is underway. This work will increase the lifespan of the 300-metre long bridge, which was constructed in 1958. The contract was awarded to Seismic 2000 Construction Ltd. from Aldergrove.

In the Similkameen, almost 20 km of Highway 3 will be resurfaced between Hedley and Keremeos, and shoulder improvements will also be made. The total value of the work is estimated at $2.9 million, with a contract awarded to Green Roads Recycling Ltd. of Fernie for the resurfacing.

A $3.7-million contract has been awarded to Emil Anderson Maintenance Co. Ltd. from Rosedale to resurface portions of Highways 3 and 5 near Hope. This work includes resurfacing of the slow lane along Highway 3 between the Othello Interchange and Nicolum Creek Bridge, a distance of 4.8 km.

The Province is also investing $140,000 in projects to improve safety and travel along Highway 3:

• Four new avalanche gates at the summit of Kootenay Pass to manage traffic during closures.
• Solar-powered "chain-up" warning signs at Lafterty Pit near Paulson Pass.
• An electronic speed warning sign east of Yale Bridge in Grand Forks.
• Passing and climbing lane signs with better reflectivity, to inform travellers of passing lane length at Paulson Pass.
• New web cameras for the DriveBC network at the Highway 3/5 junction near Hope and on Highway 3 at Sunday Summit, to be installed this year.

Quotes:

Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Blair Lekstrom -

"Highway 3 provides important access to many southern B.C. communities, as well as to Alberta, Washington, Idaho and Montana. The work we are doing on the corridor this year will improve safety for all those who use Highway 3, and in the process create a large number of family-supporting jobs."

Boundary-Similkameen MLA John Slater -

"Highway 3 is a major route connecting the communities along the southern portion of British Columbia from the Alberta border to Vancouver. These projects will mean increased safety for residents, commuters, tourists and commercial vehicles."

Quick Facts:

• Since 2001, the Province has constructed over 85 projects along the Highway 3 corridor from Hope to the Alberta border to improve safety, mobility and reliability.
• These projects include re-decking or replacing 15 bridges and resurfacing 550 km of highway.
• In the last 10 years, over $200 million has been spent on improvements to Highway 3.

Learn More:

Learn more about the work of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure online at: www.tranbc.ca

Know before you go. For details on construction delays, check DriveBC at: www.drivebc.ca

Contact:

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