|
GOVERNMENTS OF CANADA AND QUEBEC TO SUPPORT
TWINNING OF ROUTE 175
August 22, 2002
Ville de Saguenay, Quebec
The Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honourable Jean Chrétien, and
the Premier of Quebec, the Honourable Bernard Landry, today announced their
respective governments’ commitment to the twinning of Route 175, between
Quebec City and Saguenay. The project will be carried out on a 50-50 cost-shared
basis.
The project will include construction of a second lane along Route 175,
between Saguenay and Autoroute 73, the extension of Autoroute 73 and the
addition of a second lane in the Stoneham-Tewkesbury sector.
"The Governments of Canada and Quebec have agreed that Route 175 is the
immediately identified priority under the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund.
The immediate identification of Route 175 will help boost the economy of the
Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region," said Prime Minister Chrétien.
Premier Landry highlighted the significance of the project in terms of the
economy and highway safety. "This major project will enhance the economic
development potential of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean by improving traffic flow and
the free movement of goods. It will also afford drivers greater peace of mind by
reducing the risk of accidents," he stated.
Prime Minister Chrétien and Premier Landry have also asked their respective
ministers responsible for the Infrastructure Program, Industry Minister and
Minister responsible for Infrastructure Allan Rock, with the support of
Transport Minister David Collenette, and Quebec’s Deputy Premier and Minister
of State for the Economy and Finance Pauline Marois, in collaboration with
Transport Minister Serge Ménard, to negotiate agreements on projects for this
initiative as quickly as possible.
The twinning project is very important to residents and businesses in
Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, and the Prime Minister and the Premier are pleased to
have identified this project as a priority and to have reached agreement on
expediting the project’s implementation.
-30-
This news release may be made available in alternative formats
for persons with visual disabilities.
.
FACT SHEET ROUTE
175
Project
- The project consists of upgrading a 173-km stretch of Route 175 into a
four-lane divided highway from kilometre 54 to kilometre 227. Ending in
Ville de Saguenay, Route 175 links the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region to
Quebec City. The project will include roadway within the boundaries of the
Laurentian Wildlife Reserve, from kilometre 84 to kilometre 218.
Benefits
- The Route 175 project is a priority for the federal and provincial
governments because it offers several advantages:
- the additional lanes will improve safety;
- the new highway will have a shorter driving time, saving costs and
enhancing safety;
- it will provide a modern divided highway at a posted speed limit of 100
km/h between Quebec City and Ville de Saguenay; and
- an efficient highway linking Ville de Saguenay with Quebec City will
support regional economic development of the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region.
Costs
- The overall project construction cost is currently estimated by the province
at $525 million.
Next steps
The Government of Canada will negotiate an agreement with Quebec as quickly
as possible under the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund for the
implementation of this project.
|
