Work is expected to begin shortly on a project that will expand the Trans-Canada Highway through Salmon Arm to four lanes.
Delta company Springline Construction Services Limited has been awarded the $29.7-million contract, which also includes building a new Salmon River bridge.
The provincial government said hiring local workers will be a priority for the company through the community benefits agreement.
“This major work to add lanes, a multi-use pathway, a bridge and a new interchange to Highway 1 through Salmon Arm will make the route safer and easier to navigate for local residents,” said Catherine McKenna, federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.
“It will also improve traffic flow along one of British Columbia’s key trade and commuter corridors. Canada’s infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country and builds stronger communities.”
The work will widen 2.2 kilometres of the highway to four lanes with a concrete median barrier.
“Providing good-paying construction jobs to local workers will help us build out of the COVID-19 pandemic and provide a boost to the regional economy,” said Claire Trevena, B.C.’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.
“Large-scale infrastructure projects like this one are more important than ever, as the financial benefits are felt not just in the construction sector but the supporting sectors as well.”
Salmon Arm mayor Alan Harrison said the city is pleased that the tender has been awarded.
“The planned four-laning and other improvements will provide a number of benefits to our community, including a new bridge over the Salmon River, a completed access road on the south side of the highway, wider shoulders and a separated path that will increase safety and mobility for pedestrians and cyclists, and enhanced access through the corridor,” he said.
The province has committed $1.04 billion to upgrade Highway 1 between Kamloops and the Alberta border over the next three years under the 2020 budget.