Quebec to pour billions into road, bridge repairs
Last Updated: Monday, February 11, 2008 | 2:17 PM ET
CBC News
Quebec will spend $2.7 billion on road work this year with nearly 2,000 repair projects planned across the province.
Transport Minister Julie Boulet said she hopes the work will help rebuild public trust in highway safety, which was eroded after the deadly 2006 Laval overpass collapse.
Most of the investment will be dedicated to maintaining roads, highways and bridges, said Boulet at a news conference Monday to detail the province's infrastructure plan.
The 2008 infrastructure budget will focus on paving roads, fixing bridges and rebuilding overpasses already flagged for problems.
Major work includes repairs on the Turcot interchange and replacing the Galipeau Bridge west of Montreal.
The plan includes $774 million to extend Highway175 in the Laurentians and extend Highway 25 between Montreal and Laval.
As many as 1,850 construction sites will be active across the province over the next year, creating 36,000 jobs.
Transport Quebec warned drivers the work will create more detours and traffic jams. "We will have to ask them to be more patient in work zones," said department spokeswoman Anne-Marie Leclerc.
With files from the Canadian PressShare Tools
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