Whereas the Trans-Canada Highway is BCs primary southern east-west corridor and is essential for trade and travel; And whereas the 400-kilometre section of highway between Kamloops and the Alberta border is home of the most challenging terrain in Canada and is used by up to 12,000 vehicles a day; And whereas in 2021 the Province committed to 837 million over the next three years to allow traffic to move more safely and efficiently within the corridor, however, several projects identified in the Provincial plan are not yet underway, including the deteriorating RW Bruhn Bridge that poses significant public safety concerns: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the Province initiate projects currently identified in the 2021 Highway 1 - Kamloops to Alberta Four-Laning plan to improve the safety, reliability and capacity of the Trans-Canada Highway.
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure Improving the safety, reliability and capacity of Highway 1 to the Alberta border is a priority for this government. This commitment was supported by Budget 2021, with 837 million being invested over the next three years on the Highway 1 four-laning program. Construction is complete on the Illecillewaet Project near Revelstoke, the western segment of the Chase four-laning project near Chase and the western segment of the Salmon Arm West four-laning near Salmon Arm. Construction has begun on the Ford to Tappen project near Tappen. Construction continues on the eastern segment of the Chase four-laning Project, the Quartz Creek Bridge Project, and the Kicking Horse Canyon Phase 4 project just recently reached substantial completion and opened to 4 lanes. The Province recently approved the Selkirk four-laning and the Jumping Creek to MacDonald project is now moving into the Request for Proposals phase of the contract. The Bruhn Bridge project is a design bid-build project with a 2-phase procurement process. The project is currently in phase 1, Request for Qualifications, to pre-qualify constructors who will then be eligible to participate in phase 2, the project tender. The RFQ phase will complete in early 2024 with tender to follow.