On again, off again DOT garage gets final funding - May. 04, 2010
John Gardner/Courier
Premier Shawn Graham, far right, along with Transportation Minister Denis Landry, pause to let Department of Transportation communications officer Andrew Holland capture a photo. Government officials were in St. Stephen Tuesday to announce $4.7 million in contracts for phases two and three of the new DOT maintenance facility.
ST. STEPHEN – The mayor of St. Stephen says he is delighted with the provincial government’s announcement Tuesday morning of the awarding of $4.7 million in contracts for the new Department of Transportation maintenance facility in the town.
The money will cover phases two and three of the facility which has a completion date of March 2011. The DOT garage facility is located next to the St. Stephen Industrial Park on Church Street.
“This is outstanding,” said Mayor Jed Purcell. “It’s been on again, off again for quite a while, but the government has clearly kept this in their sites.”
Purcell said the construction will boost employment in the area and the finished facility would serve to attract other developments to the industrial park area.
Premier Shawn Graham made the funding announcement during a tour of the construction site, accompanied by Transportation Minister Denis Landry and Fisheries Minister Rick Doucet. “New Brunswickers depend on a transportation network that moves people and goods safely and efficiently,” said Graham. “The Department of Transportation plays an important role in many communities, and this major presence in the St. Stephen area will help promote safety and the economic growth that will enable us to keep our young people here at home and become a self-sufficient province.”
Construction of a heavy equipment shop and maintenance depot was awarded to Simpson Building Contractors Ltd. of Fredericton for more than $3.6 million. The facility is to be completed by next March.
CNF Mallet Ltée of Shippagan earned a $949,000 contract to build new salt and sand storage facilities, slated to be completed this spring.
A tender for a fuel dispensing system has been awarded to Phoenix Petroleum Ltd. of Fredericton for $153,500; work is to start this summer.
Phase 1 involved site preparation, construction of an access road and utilities. Fundy Contractors Ltd. of St. George won the contract, worth almost $2 million.
“This state-of-the-art, 12-bay building will house the vehicle repair, carpentry and signage operations as well as the highway maintenance division in the region,” said Landry. “Crews currently work out of mobile trailers, and the repair facility is an outdated, two-bay garage.
The new facility will mean a great deal for our staff, and it will assist them in providing highway maintenance to the public.”
The St. Stephen highway division is responsible for more than 400 kilometres of roads and the repair facility is responsible for a fleet of 120 vehicles. A future tender will be called for the new administration building after the design phase is completed.
“This work is great news for all of Charlotte County,” said Doucet. “This project makes the industrial park more accessible and attractive for jobs and investment, and it will keep traffic moving through this area. Safety on the 18,600-km provincial highway system is the provincial government’s top priority, and this facility will be home for operations and equipment to be mobilized year-round.”
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