$4.9 billion in investments

Québec’s Transport Minister unveils 2015-2017 road network plans

 

Laurent Robillard-Cardinal

Robert Poëti, Québec’s Transport Minister, announced on March 1 road investments of $4.9 billion for 2015-2017. Close to $131 million of that money will go to the Outaouais region. The minister indicated that the provincial investments will permit 1,917 road-building projects across the province and will help maintain and create some 33,400 jobs.

 

In Outaouais, there are 279 structures (bridges, overpasses etc). Three require replacement, five require major work, 27 require repairs and 244 do not require an intervention. The three requiring replacements are the bridge on Road 321 going over Rivière de la Petite Nation in Saint-André-Avellin, the structure on Tour-du-Lac Road spanning Lac Simon / Lac Barrière and the structure on Route 366 in Val-des-Monts going across the Rivière Blanche. The government is expected to announce within weeks the breakdown of projects which will obtain financing in the Outaouais region. The MTQ completed important road projects in West Québec by finishing Highway 5’s extension this past fall.

 

Of the total $4.9 billion allocation, $830 million will go towards maintaining the road network, $2.7 billion to maintain provincial road structures and $269 million for municipal structures. More than $500 million will help improve the road network and $555 million will go towards developing it. Montréal will benefit the most from investments by absorbing $1.8 billion, mainly used in maintaining and replacing the aging Turcot interchange. The minister says the regions are getting their fair share of the pie with a total of  $2.3 billion in investments.

 

In addition to stimulating the economy, the minister declared that the funds will allow the province to maintain the quality of its roads. “For example, the general condition of Québec’s road network has improved by 16% since 2006, while the percentage of structures in good condition increased by nearly 10% since 2009, indications that our efforts are bearing fruit,” said Minister Poëti.