The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure's 2012 Community Service Initiative, in partnership with the BC Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association, has resulted in the completion of local infrastructure improvements that will benefit families in many communities around the province.

This is the second year that the ministry has partnered with its highway-maintenance contractors to undertake improvements in smaller B.C. communities. Ministry staff and staff from local highway-maintenance contractors volunteer their time, expertise and equipment for projects that benefit local residents by improving community infrastructure.

An example of this community work is the enhancements to the Tynehead Hatchery in Surrey. Over the course of two days, staff from the ministry and Mainroad Lower Mainland helped repair fish gates, painted salmon holding rooms, repaired fish pond docks, planted trees, added soil and repaired netting at the hatchery, which itself is a volunteer-run organization.

The ministry has also invested an additional $5 million this year to improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists on highways in and near B.C. communities. 22 of these projects are on the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, and Vancouver Island and all have been completed.

Examples of the projects include crosswalk improvements, installation of an advance left turn signal on Highway 7 in Maple Ridge and shoulder widening for cyclists in Port Alberni. These projects were chosen by the ministry through consultation with local governments and law enforcement.

Under B.C.'s Family Agenda, government is working hard to improve the safety of roads and highways that connect families across every region of British Columbia. To learn about more road safety actions, visit www.familiesfirstbc.ca.

Quotes:

Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Mary Polak -

"I'd like to thank the staff who volunteered their time to make these community service projects possible for the benefit of communities around the province. These are grassroots projects that help to make our communities more liveable and enjoyable. It's inspiring to see ministry staff roll up their sleeves and help out."

"We want the highways that connect our communities to be as safe as possible. The safety enhancement projects that we've completed this year were identified as priorities by local governments and police. They will improve safety on the road for families in communities throughout the province."

BC Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association President Jack Davidson -

"It's important to the men and women who work for our highway-maintenance contractors to help out with these local community-service projects. This volunteer work benefits everyone in the areas in which our members work and live, and it's another example of how our highway-maintenance contractors give back to the community."

Learn More:

Follow the work of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure online at www.tranbc.ca

A backgrounder follows.

BACKGROUNDER

Ministry/Maintenance Contractor Community Service Projects on the South Coast

• Camp Barnard, Sooke: Supplying and placing gravel for bus pullouts at Camp Barnard. This will enable the camp to hold much larger events, including Scouts Canada's Pacific Jamboree in 2015. Supported by Mainroad South Island Contracting.
• French Creek Community Park: Improvements to the community park on Admiral Trion Blvd., including grading, clean-up and installation of a park bench. Supported by Emcon Services.
• Hornby-Denman Community Health Care Society (Hornby Island): Completed a gravel driveway and parking areas for the Community Health Centre. Supported by Emcon Services.
• Trout Lake-Half Moon Bay: Construction of pedestrian pathway adjacent to Trout Lake, on Highway 101, south of Half Moon Bay. This involved brushing and grading to provide proper drainage run-off, and placing gravel and mulch to improve the pathway. Supported by Capilano Highway Services.
• Enhancements at the Tynehead Hatchery, Surrey: Improvements to the hatchery, including: repairs to the fish gates, painting salmon-holding rooms, repairing fish-pond docks, planting trees, adding soil, and repairing fish netting to protect the salmon holding ponds.
• Hope Community Garden: Construction of a community greenhouse with in-ground sprinklers. This greenhouse is under the care of the Free Rein Associates, and the produce will go to the local Salvation Army and churches for their soup kitchens. Supported by Emil Anderson Maintenance Co.
• Mt. Currie Band: Completed trail construction as part of their playground redevelopment at the local park. Supported by Mainroad Howe Sound Contracting.

Highway safety improvements on the South Coast

The following safety improvement projects are complete:

• Bowser: Repair a culvert on Maple Guard Drive.
• Campbell River/Qualicum/Cumberland: Add safety signage at signalized intersections along Highway 19.
• Chilliwack: Enhance roadside delineation on Columbia Valley Road.
• Chilliwack/Abbotsford Highway 1: Enhance delineation from 264th to Highway 9.
• Colwood/Langford: Median cut-outs on Veteran's Memorial Parkway for emergency-vehicle turnaround.
• Delta: Install additional shoulder and barrier delineation on Highway 17 between Tsawwassen Drive and Highway 99 Interchange.
• Delta/Surrey: Improve drainage and shoulders on Highway 99 from George Massey Tunnel to 8th Avenue.
• Gabriola Island: Line painting and crosswalk installation.
• Manning Park: Safety upgrade at Rhododendron Flats on Highway 3, including traffic-calming signs, rumble strips and enhanced delineation.
• Maple Ridge: Added an advanced left-turn signal at Highway 7 and 280th intersection.
• Parksville: Improvements to Plummer Road to benefit local residents' access with Highway 19A.
• Port Alberni/Ucluelet/Tofino: Enhance delineation along Highway 4 between Port Alberni and Ucluelet Junction.
• Port Alberni: Widen the road shoulder on Redford Avenue to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians.
• Port Alice: Construct slow-vehicle pullouts on Highway 30 to allow vehicles to pass.
• Qualicum/Port Alberni: Install centre-line rumble strips between Qualicum and Port Alberni on Highway 4.
• Surrey: Improve access and signage at Diamond Elementary School on Highway 10.
• Squamish: Improve wheelchair access on traffic islands along Highway 99 through the District of Squamish.
• Tahsis: Enhance delineation and guide sign in consultation with the community.
• Tofino: Install pedestrian-activated crosswalk across Highway 4 at Gibson Street as part of the school route and cycling network.
• Township of Langley: Install 'intersection ahead' sign in advance of Highway 13/56th Avenue intersection.
• Ucluelet/Tofino: Install cycle fencing on top of existing retaining walls on Highway 4 in the Kennedy Lake area for the safety of cyclists.
• Vancouver: Southwest Marine Drive cycling improvements, including shoulder widening and a bicycle lane.

Contact:

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