For
Immediate Release
May 20, 2004
Confirmation that a $6 million improvement project for
Highway 15 in the Township of Beckwith will start on May 25 is great news for
area residents, Lanark-Carleton MPP Norm Sterling said today.
Sterling expedited approval for the needed reconstruction
project along Highway 15 when he was Minister of Transportation. The start of
the project had been delayed at the request of local representatives who wanted
the work put off until after the International Plowing Match to avoid traffic
chaos.
“This stretch of highway is in serious need of
reconstruction,” Sterling said. “This project will go a long way to making
this highway safer and much smoother to travel for local residents, businesses
and visitors to our area.”
The project includes the reconstruction and resurfacing of
the 11.5 km stretch from the north limit of Franktown to Carleton Place. Work
will also include the construction of a new 2.5 km northbound passing lane
commencing just north of Franktown, various intersection improvements, and
traffic control signals at the intersections of Beckwith 10th Line
Road, Black’s Corners, and Richmond Road. The project, which has been awarded
to R.W. Tomlinson Ltd., is scheduled to be complete in October or November of
this year.
“As Minister of Transportation, I made it a priority to
ensure needed funds were committed for a number of critical local highway
projects,” Sterling said. “The reconstruction of Highway 15, the four-laning
of Highway 7, the extension of Highway 417 to Arnprior, and improvements to the
Queensway were all moved to the top of the priority list.”
Sterling said while the funds are committed to four-lane
Highway 7 between Carleton Place and Highway 417, Environment Minister Leona
Dombrowsky failed to deal with straightforward issues surrounding the
project’s environmental assessment.
“We have now been successful in forcing the Environment
Minister to act and stop stalling on the Highway 7 project,” Sterling said.
“Now we have to make sure the Transportation Minister moves the project along
as quickly as possible. I continue to press the government to expedite the
acquisition of the remaining properties and to get on with this work.”
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For more information, please call Norm Sterling at: (613)
253-1171