Work is underway on the new Fort Nelson River Bridge on Highway 77, announced Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone. The $35-million project is part of the Province’s 10 year transportation plan, B.C. on the Move.

“Keeping drivers safe along our northern transportation network is a top priority for this government,” said Stone. “Improving the Fort Nelson River Bridge will make it much safer and allow for growing commercial traffic supporting the natural gas industry in the region.”

Located approximately 70 kilometres northwest of Fort Nelson on Highway 77, the bridge provides access to the impressive Liard Natural Gas basin and is the only road connection between British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. The project will involve upgrading the current single-lane bridge to a modern two-lane structure. To accommodate the expansion, upgrades will also be done underneath the bridge including the piers, abutments and piles.

A contract for $22.58 million was awarded to Forbes Industrial Contractors Ltd. of Prince George. The Government of B.C. is providing $19.6 million toward the project and the federal government is contributing $15.4 million. The project is expected to be completed in late fall 2016.

Replacing bridges so they can accommodate increasingly heavy and large loads needed by industry is an important part of the provincial trucking strategy. This, along with improving the capacity and reliability of provincial highways in northeast B.C., is a major theme of B.C. on the Move. The Province will invest $180 million over the next three years to repair and replace bridges throughout the province and $60 million over the next three years to upgrade roads in the northeast, in support of the oil and gas industries.

“I had the pleasure of announcing this project this summer and I’m excited to see work get underway,” said MLA for Peace River North Pat Pimm. “This bridge is an essential connection across the Fort Nelson River, and it supports the natural gas industry by providing access to the Liard natural gas basin, one of B.C.’s largest reserves.”

B.C. on the Move will enhance safety, 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 up to $2.5 billion to improve B.C.’s transportation network.

Learn More:

Find out more about B.C. on the Move, the Province’s 10-year transportation plan, at: http://engage.gov.bc.ca/transportationplan/