The province will invest hundreds of millions of dollars in repairs and upgrades along PTH 59 including immediately undertaking design work on the PTH 59 and PTH 101 interchange, major paving projects and bridge rehabilitation. This announcement was made by Premier Greg Selinger.
“PTH 59 is a heavily travelled north-south tourist and trade route, and these road investments will improve the ride for heavy trucks and commuters,” Premier Selinger said. “The new projects include bridge replacements and paving of this roadway to Birds Hill and the east side beach communities of Lake Winnipeg.”
Approximately $160 million was initially budgeted for PTH 59 work over the next five years, but even more will be allocated to PTH 59 with the completion of the PTH 59/PTH 101 interchange in the five-year period, the premier said. The project will see design and tendering take place over this year, with planned construction beginning in the fall of 2015 and completed over a three-year period, he said, adding the size of the interchange project is similar to CentrePort Canada Way and will be constructed along much the same timelines.
Additional work on PTH 59 this year includes:
- paving 23 km of bituminous pavement from the south junction of PTH 12 (north of the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation) to PTH 11;
- microsurfacing six km north of PR 305;
- microsurfacing six km near St. Malo;
- laying nine km of chip seal from PTH 11 to Victoria Beach; and
- working on 23 km of road shoulders from Rat River to PTH 52.
The premier said in addition, the following two projects are planned in future years on PTH 59:
- providing structure rehabilitation at the Red River Floodway, near Birds Hill; and
- providing 22 km of grade widening, base and bituminous pavement from PR 317 to the south junction of PTH 12.
The premier noted an active transportation overpass at the northeast Perimeter Highway and Raleigh Street/Gateway Road will also be built in conjunction with structures at the northeast Perimeter Highway and PTH 59 interchange, in order to connect the northeast Pioneers Greenway with the Duff Roblin Parkway Trail and Birds Hill Park.
The projects are part of the Manitoba government’s $5.5-billion Five-year Plan to Build a Stronger Manitoba. The premier said funds raised from the one-cent-on-the-dollar increase in the PST will be dedicated to new investments in core infrastructure including:
- investing more than $3.7 billion in Manitoba roads, highways and bridges to better connect communities and strengthen trade corridors;
- investing $320 million flood in protection around the province to better protect more communities from flooding; and
- investing more than $1.5 billion in municipal roads, clean water and other municipal infrastructure to help meet the needs of Manitoba’s many growing communities.
Motorists are reminded to slow down and use caution approaching and in construction zones, for their own safety and the safety of workers. The latest information on lane closures and road conditions is available anytime at 511 (toll-free), at www.mb511.ca.
