The governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador announced funding to mitigate the risk of bridge washouts and flooding on provincial highways and roads.
“Heavy rains and spring run-off can damage highway infrastructure and cut off communities. By replacing aging infrastructure with new infrastructure, we are being proactive to ensure these links and communities are protected,” said Steve Crocker, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Minister of Transportation and Works.
This funding is allocated for projects to replace the:
- Deer Lake Tailrace Bridge and Rushy Pond Bridge on the Trans-Canada Highway;
- Ballam Bridge and Hughes Brook Bridge on Route 440 (North Shore Highway), and
- Romaine’s River Bridge on Route 460 (Hansen Memorial Highway).
“The Trans-Canada Highway is an important link between Newfoundland and the rest of Canada, connecting communities, businesses and visitors to our beautiful province. This project will protect hundreds of thousands of residents from flood damage caused by bridge washouts during extreme weather conditions. With projects like this, we are taking concrete steps to reduce the impact of climate change, keeping our communities safe, and reducing future economic loss,” said Gudie Hutchings, Member of Parliament for Long Range Mountains.
The new, larger bridges will be capable of withstanding increased water flows during major weather events and also protect residents and businesses from future flood damage related to climate change. They are also expected to provide long-term savings in recovery and replacement costs.
The Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador are each investing over $15 million in these projects through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund.
