The Saint Croix Courier

Highway work begins - Jul. 20, 2010

Barb Rayner/Courier
Taking part in the groundbreaking ceremonies at St. George were (front left) Transportation Minister Denis Landry, Fisheries Minister Rick Doucet and New Brunswick Southwest MP Greg Thompson who hopped on board the backhoe operated by Carmen Jardine of Dexter Construction, seated.

GEORGE – Work began today (Tuesday) on the largest highway undertaking in the province’s history – the Route 1 Gateway Project – and a groundbreaking ceremony took place this morning.
Taking part were Transportation Minister Denis Landry, New Brunswick Southwest MP Greg Thompson, Fisheries Minister Rick Doucet and Harry Varjabedian, the project manager for Dexter Construction Company Ltd. The project will see the final 55kms of Route 1 between Waweig and Lepreau twinned.
The province is investing $370 million in the project while the federal government is contributing up to $210 million through the Gateways and Border Crossing Fund and the Provincial-Territorial Base Fund.
The $580-million public-private partnership also includes the erection of 104 kms of wildlife fencing; the configuration of the Route 1/Route 7 and Route 1/Route 111 interchanges; the widening of the MacKay Highway, which has daily traffic volumes of 33,000 vehicles, to six lanes from four; major upgrades at the Digdeguash River, Magaguadavic River, Letang River, Pocologan River, New River and Lepreau River crossings and the installation of new guardrail systems on a number of bridges and overpasses along the Route 1 corridor.
Landry said this new infrastructure and other upgrades will create 900 new jobs, save lives and improve the flow of people and goods along this key trade corridor between Atlantic Canada and New England.
“Route 1 is a key infrastructure priority for us, and this work will help to save lives, reduce injuries and improve access and traffic flow at New Brunswick’s key land border crossing with the United States,” said Thompson.
Under an agreement signed earlier this year, Transfield Dexter Gateway Services Ltd will be responsible for the operation, maintenance and rehabilitation of 235 kms between St. Stephen and River Glade, excluding the Saint John harbour bridge, until 2040.
Once construction is completed in 2013, the province will pay the company an annual fee of $19.8 million, adjusted for inflation.