The provincial government is planning to replace the overpass that has traditionally marked the boundary between St. John's and the rest of the province - or town and the bay.

The government looking for bids from contractors to build a new, bigger Kenmount Road overpass. The work is scheduled to start next spring.

Provincial Transportation Minister Tom Hedderson said Wednesday that the worked is sorely needed because of mushrooming population growth on the Northeast Avalon.

"Not because it's falling down, although age is a factor there. Height is below standard, there's only two lanes up top and down below. So really, it doesn't mix with the extreme capacity that's required with that overpass," said Hedderson.

The new overpass will be four lanes wide on Kenmount Road and six lanes on Topsail Road below it.