As part of B.C. on the Move, the Government of B.C.’s new 10-year transportation plan, the Cariboo Connector project to four-lane Highway 97 between Stone Creek and Williams Road is going to tender.

The project is located approximately 29 kilometres south of Prince George and will see three kilometres of Highway 97 between Stone Creek Bridge and the Red Rock Weigh Station widened from two to four lanes. The work also includes replacing the Red Rock CN Rail overhead to accommodate the new four-lane highway. This will also increase the height clearance to 5.5 metres, which will improve the CN railway alignment and allow greater clearance for larger trucks and loads.

This project is the next local project in Phase 2 of the Cariboo Connector which builds on the previously completed Phase 2 four-laning project, Old Cariboo Highway to Sintich Road. The project will also complete the previous work done in Phase 1, by joining the Red Rock Weigh Scale and the Highway 97 Plett Road to Stone Creek Bridge four-laning projects.

All of these projects are part of $200-million committed for Phase 2 of the Cariboo Connector program that will add 30 kilometres of new four-lane sections to Highway 97. This builds on the $240 million already invested through Phase 1 of the program.

The Stone Creek to Williams Road project is the fifth project in Phase 2 of the program to get underway. Work is scheduled to begin this summer and is expected to be complete in the summer of 2017.

All nine Phase 2 projects will be complete or underway by 2017. When completed, almost 50% of the 440-kilometre highway between Cache Creek and Prince George will be either three or four lanes wide.

B.C. on the Move is government’s new 10-year plan for the improvement of the province’s transportation network. It provides a comprehensive road map for transportation investments and strategic policy actions over the next decade. The actions prioritized in B.C. on the Move will grow the economy, maintain and replace aging infrastructure, and support trade for B.C.’s expanding resource sectors through Canada’s Asia-Pacific Gateway.

Over the next three years, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will invest almost $2.5 billion to improve British Columbia’s transportation network.

B.C. on the Move was developed incorporating feedback received from a wide-ranging public engagement, during which over 12,500 survey responses were received from British Columbians throughout the province, and the B.C. on the Move website was visited over 44,000 times.

Quotes:

Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone -­

“The Cariboo Connector Program is extremely important for industry in Northern B.C. and for families who rely on Highway 97 for their livelihoods. This project is an important part of supporting our efforts to move people and goods more safely and efficiently throughout the region and the province.”

Minister of Jobs, Tourism, Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour Shirley Bond -­

“Raising and replacing the Red Rock CN Rail overhead is absolutely critical to the efficient movement of goods. Additional four-laning also means safer travel for residents and visitors alike.”

MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie Mike Morris -­

“Our region is a transportation hub for resource development. By expanding our highways we help make them more accessible to industries, making it easier to move oversized loads. This also adds to increased safety for Northern travellers.‎”

Learn More:

B.C. on the Move is available online at: http://engage.gov.bc.ca/transportationplan/

Learn more about transportation projects happening throughout B.C. at: www.th.gov.bc.ca/tranprojectsbc/

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

Media Contacts:

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