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Improved
Sea-to-Sky Section Opens Early
December 14, 2005 – A year and a half
ahead of schedule, Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon removes
the last few pylons to open a new four-lane section of the Sea-to-Sky
Highway. The $39-million section of the highway, from Ansell
Place north of Horseshoe Bay to the Village of Lions Bay, was
originally scheduled for completion in August 2007.
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full-size photo
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Improved
Sea-to-Sky Section Opens Early
December
14, 2005 – Mayor Max Wyman of Lions Bay,
MLA Joan McIntyre (West Vancouver-Garibaldi) and Transportation
Minister Kevin Falcon (l-r) open a new four lane section of
the Sea-to-Sky Highway south of Lions Bay. Completed a year
and a half ahead of schedule, the improved highway includes
a concrete barrier, separating north and southbound traffic
along the seven-km section.
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here for full-size photo
Link to
news
release
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Sea-to-Sky
Highway Improvement Project wins Canadian Council for Public
Private Partnerships 2005 Gold Award for Project Financing
November 28, 2005 – Head table
photos include: (standing) Pierre Lefebvre, President
and Director General of the Partenariats public-prive, Quebec,
Jane Peatch, Executive Director, CCPPP, Dale Richmond, President,
CCPPP, Hon. Lyle Oberg, Duncan Ball (seated) Don
Gibson, Partner with McCarthy Tetrault LLP and Director, CCPPP,
Michael Wilson, Chair, CCPPP and Chair UBS Canada, and Hon.
Kevin Falcon, Minister of Transportation from BC.
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Minister
Falcon accepts the 2005 Gold Award for Project Financing on
behalf of the BC Ministry of Transportation, Partnerships
BC and Macquarie North America Ltd.
November 28, 2005 – The Ministry
of Transportation has defined a set of improvements designed
to make travel along the Sea-to-Sky corridor safer for residents,
commuters and tourists. The Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement
Project is the first major provincial transportation project
in B.C. to be procured as a public-private partnership using
a Design-Build-Finance-Operate (DBFO) public-private partnership
contract. The project will create 6,000 new jobs throughout
the province as a result of economic activity generated along
the corridor, and will increase provincial GDP by $300 million
over the period of 2010 to 2025.
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Canada
Line Departs in 2009... and about every five minutes after
that
November 25, 2005 – Construction is now underway on
the 19.2 kilometer rapid transit line, running from Vancouver
International Airport and downtown Richmond to Waterfront
Station at Canada Place in downtown Vancouver.
Transportation
Minister Kevin Falcon speaks during the Canada Line news conference
at Vancouver International Airport.
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here for full-size photos top
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November
25, 2005 – Minister Falcon congratulates YVR CEO Larry
Berg
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here for full-size photo
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(Left
to Right) TransLink Chair Doug McCallum, Richmond Mayor
Malcolm Brodie, Minister of Industry David Emerson, Mayor-elect
of Vancouver Sam Sullivan, Minister of Transportation Kevin
Falcon, Raymond Chan MP for Richmond, InTransitBC President
Jean-Marc Arbaud, YVR CEO Larry Berg, and YVR Chair Graham
Clarke. unveil the Canada Line and the vehicle design.
Click
here for full-size photo
Link to
www.canadaline.ca |
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Rolling
out bike lanes in Port Moody
November 12, 2005 – Minister Falcon is one
of the first cyclists across the new CPR overpass in Port
Moody. The total length of the structure is 172.7 meters and
the main span is supported by four cables on each side of
the bridge, attached to two towers.
Click here
for full-size photo
Link to
news release
Link to Cycling
Infrastructure Partnerships Program |
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Rolling
out bike lanes in Port Moody
November
12, 2005 – A new cycling and pedestrian bridge across
the CPR tracks in Port Moody is now open. The $1.7 million
overpass is a partnership of the City of Port Moody, the Ministry
of Transportation, Dalex Development Corp., TransLink, Polygon
Klahanie Development Ltd., Centro Development Ltd. and Open
Road Auto Group. L - R: Kush Panatch of Centro Development
Ltd., Iain Black MLA (Port Moody - Westwood), Port Moody Mayor
Joe Trasolini, Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon and Darlene
Hyde of Open Road Auto Group cut the ribbon opening the new
overpass.
Click here
for full-size photo
Link to
news release
Link
to Cycling Infrastructure
Partnerships Program |
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Preparing
for Winter Weather
November 10, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon
visited Kelowna and discussed area transportation priorities
with Kelowna Mayor Walter Gray. Minister Falcon and Mayor
Gray visited the Kelowna Works Yard of Argo Road Maintenance
where 2,200 tonnes of salt, 23,000 cubic metres of sand, and
80,000 litres of liquid salt brine await winter snow storms
(L-R: Neil Shetler, Bill Tasker and Al Fraser of Argo Road
Maintenance with Minister Falcon). Visit www.drivebc.ca
for the latest road conditions on all provincial roads.
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here for full-size photo
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Preparing
for Winter Weather
November 10, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon
and Kelowna Mayor Walter Gray speak to reporters at the Argo
Road Maintenance Kelowna Works Yard.
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here for full-size photo |
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Mt.
Lehman Interchange Reaches First Milestone
October 28, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon
and Abbotsford Mayor Mary Reeves join Abbotsford Mt. Lehman
MLA Mike De Jong and officially open the new Mt. Lehman overpass
in Abbotsford's Hybrid car and a Smart Car. The Province and
the City are partners in the $24.8 million project. The new
overpass crosses the Trans Canada Highway at Mt. Lehman Road.
It is the second of three new overpasses being constructed
to improve traffic flow at this key gateway to the City of
Abbotsford.
Link
to news release | Click
here for full-size photo |
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Tour
of Birch Island Bridge Upgrade
September 20th – Minister Kevin Falcon
visits the construction site where the new Birch Island Bridge
will stand. Winter ice storm damaged the old bridge, resulting
in its closure and the necessity of a replacement bridge.
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Helping
to Preserve our Transportation Heritage
September 17th – Transportation Minister
Kevin Falcon presents the Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society
with a grant for $75,000 to help repatriate Interurban BCER
1225. The study of past methods of transportation can result
in valuable application for current and future transportation
projects.
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Leading
the way in Healthy Living and Physical Fitness September
11, 2005 – Premier Gordon Campbell announces
24 bike lane projects in 17 communities, including new bike
lanes along NW Marine Drive at the University of British Columbia.
Funding for the Cycling Infrastructure Partnerships Program
will be extended for next year, helping British Columbians to
be a leader in healthy living and physical fitness. Click
here for full size photo About
the CIPP Program |
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Transportation
Trade Mission to the People's Republic of China
September 6, 2005 – Left to right: Federal Transport
Minister Jean-C. Lapierre; Zhou Hu, Deputy Managing Director,
COSCO Container Lines; and Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon
with model of the container ship, M/V COSCO Vancouver. Container
traffic is increasing exponentially in China and Chinese ports
are expanding right now to handle new container traffic. China's
port expansions presents real opportunity for British Columbia
to be Asia's Gateway of Choice for North America. Asia-Pacific
container traffic to North America is forecast to expand by
300 percent in the next 15 years. A one percent increase in
container traffic through British Columbia ports means $250
million per year and 4,000 new jobs for British Columbia’s
economy. By 2020 the port industry alone could grow to support
50,000 jobs, pumping $1.7 billion into the B.C. economy.
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Transportation
Trade Mission to the People's Republic of China
September 6, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon
and a model of the Shanghai Maglev Transrapid train. The trains
connect Shanghai and Shanghai-Pudong International Airport and
are propelled by magnetic levitation. The trains can travel
an astonishing 430 kilometres per hour. The delegation has learned
that, similar to the RAV protect in Vancouver, many of China's
gateway cities are building rapid transit between their commercial
centres and their airports.
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Transportation
Trade Mission to the People's Republic of China
September 5, 2005 – Left to Right: Transportation
Minister Kevin Falcon and Deputy Minister John Dyble meeting
with Shanghai port operators. Shanghai is undergoing a phenomenal
increase in port capacity, along with a planned major network
of new roads and rail. The Chinese are very interested in B.C's
planned Pacific Gateway strategy. Under Premier Campbell's leadership,
British Columbia is working to encourage the federal government
to invest alongside the Province in a range of infrastructure
projects that will establish British Columbia as the undisputed
Gateway to North America.
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Transportation
Trade Mission to the People's Republic of China
September 2, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon
presents Beijing Mayor Wang Qishan with a gift from the people
of British Columbia. Beijing is China's capital city and a major
transportation hub. Beijing will host the 2008 Summer Olympic
Games.
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photo |
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Transportation
Trade Mission to the People's Republic of China
August 31, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon
and Federal Minister of Transport Jean-C. Lapierre visit Tiananmen
Square together in Beijing. The province is participating in
a federal transportation trade mission to Beijing, Shanghai
and Hong Kong from September 1 to September 7.
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photo |
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Chinese
Trade Mission Connects Canada's Pacific Gateway
August 29, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon
speaks to media at Vancouver International Airport before
leaving on a transportation trade mission to the People's
Republic of China. Minister Falcon will highlight the province's
efforts to become the North American gateway of choice for
Asian trade and travel and speak on the province's behalf
at the World Economic Forum in Beijing.
Link
to news release | Click
here for full-size photo |
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Surprise
Safety Inspections Meet Kelowna Truckers
August 9, 2005 – Minister of Transportation Kevin Falcon
was in Kelowna today with transportation district manager
Grant Lachmuth and Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement inspectors
at a surprise inspection station. Minister Falcon spent time
working with inspection teams as they pulled over and looked
at all aspects of the travelling safety of commercial trucks
on the roads.
Link
to news release | Click
here for full-size photo |
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Historic
Red Bridge Ready for the Future
July 28, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon
joins Don and Anna Bartlett, owners of Don and Anna's Greenhouse
and members of the Red Bridge Heritage Committee; Okanagan
Similkameen Regional District Area Director Roger Mayer and
residents of Keremeos to unveil the upgraded Ashnola Bridge
across the lower Similkameen River. Members of the Red Bridge
Heritage Committee, the Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District
and Ministry of Transportation staff have worked for two years
to restore and upgrade the historic bridge. Known locally
as the Red Bridge, the Ashnola Bridge was constructed in 1911.
The bridge first served Keremeos and the Ashnola Valley as
a railway bridge and more recently as a highway bridge. It
is the last remaining covered bridge in the lower Similkameen
Valley, one of the last covered bridges in North America and
an enduring symbol of the turn of the century Gold Rush in
the area.
Left
to right: Don and Anna Bartlett (Don and Anna's Greenhouse
and the Red Bridge Heritage Committee); Hon. Kevin Falcon,
Minister of Transportation; and Roger Mayer, Regional Director
Area G - Keremeos Rural/Hedley, Okanagan-Similkameen Regional
District.
Link
to news release | Click
here for full-size photo |
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Left
to right: Don and Anna Bartlett (Don and Anna's Greenhouse
and the Red Bridge Heritage Committee); Roger Mayer, Regional
Director Area G - Keremeos Rural/Hedley, Okanagan-Similkameen
Regional District and Hon. Kevin Falcon, Minister of Transportation
fastening the last screw to the upgraded Red. Bridge.
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photo |
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Minister
Falcon Greets Teamsters Convention
July 7, 2005 – Minister Falcon greeted over 500 members
of Teamsters Canada today at their convention in Victoria. Also
on hand were local and national executive members of the Teamsters,
and Jim Hoffa, President of the International Brotherhood of
Teamsters.
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Ministers
Falcon and Thorpe join Westbank First Nation executive to
announce bridge building company
June 28, 2005 – The Ministers of Transportation and
Small Business and Revenue (& Deregulation), the Honorable
Kevin Falcon and the Honorable Rick Thorpe join Westbank First
Nations Chief Robert Louie and West Bank First Nation Councillors
Mike (Miguel) Deguevara and Michael Werstuik during the official
announcement, June 29, 2005, of SNC-Lavalin as the company
selected to design, build, finance and operate the new William
R. Bennett Bridge in Kelowna. The Westbank First Nation lands
are located at the south side of Okanagan Lake which will
be spanned by the new bridge.
Pictured
(left to right): Westbank Councillor Mike (Miguel)
Deguevara, Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon, Westbank
First Nation Chief Robert Louie, Westbank Councillor Michael
Werstuik and Small Business and Revenue (& Deregulation)
Minister Rick Thorpe (MLA for Okanagan-West Side) / also in
attendance were City of Kelowna Mayor Walter Gray and City
of Kelowna Councillor & Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Al Horning.
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here for full-size photo |
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Ministers
Falcon and Thorpe welcome Westbank Chief Louie to Bridge announcement
June 28, 2005 – Westbank First Nation Chief Robert Louie
is flanked by the Ministers of Transportation and Small Business
and Revenue (& Deregulation), the Honorable Kevin Falcon
and the Honorable Rick Thorpe. Minister Falcon made the June
29, 2005 official announcement of the selection of SNC-Lavalin
as the company to design, build, finance and operate the new
William R. Bennett Bridge in Kelowna. With a capital cost
of building the bridge set at $144.5 million, the government
will save over $16 million in construction, financing, maintenance
and rehabilitation costs over the 30-year contract, than if
the bridge was delivered by traditional means.
Pictured
(left to right): Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon,
Westbank First Nation Chief Robert Louie and Small Business
and Revenue (& Deregulation) Minister Rick Thorpe (MLA
for Okanagan-West Side) / also in attendance were City of
Kelowna Mayor Walter Gray and City of Kelowna Councillor &
Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Al Horning.
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here for full-size photo |
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Minister
Falcon announces bridge builder/operator
June 28, 2005 – The Honorable Kevin Falcon, Minister
of Transportation is pictured announcing the selection of
SNC-Lavalin Inc. as the company to design, build, finance
and operate the new William R. Bennett Bridge. This new bridge
will span Okanagan Lake from Kelowna, on the north shore,
to Westbank, on the south shore. Work at the new bridge site
will be in full swing in 2006, with completion expected in
July 2008.
Pictured
(left to right): Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon,
Small Business and Revenue (& Deregulation) Minister Rick
Thorpe (MLA for Okanagan-West Side, Kelowna-Lake Country MLA
(and city of Kelowna Councillor) Al Horning, Westbank First
Nation Chief Robert Louie and City of Kelowna Mayor Walter
Gray.
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here for full-size photo |
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Minister
Falcon Tours Sea-to-Sky Highway
June 10, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon (left)
joins Lions Bay Mayor Douglas Miller to monitor progress
on Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvements.
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photo |
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Ministry
of Transportation Staff Bike to Work
June 2, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon meets
with 20 ministry staff participating in this year's annual Bike
to Work Week in Victoria, B.C. Bike to Work Week is celebrated
every year in Victoria to promote the use of bicycles as a fun,
healthy, effective way to get to work
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here for full-size photo |
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Major
Investment in Prince Rupert Port Expansion
April 15, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon
announces that the provincial government will match federal
contributions of $30 million to build a container port at the
Port of Prince Rupert. As Canada's only Pacific province, BC
has the potential to nearly double its share of West Coast container
traffic and create up to 45,000 new jobs over the next 15 years.
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photo |
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$60
Million for Prince Rupert Port
April 15, 2005 – North Coast MLA Bill Belsey, Prince Rupert
Port President & CEO Don Krusel, Transportation Minister
Kevin Falcon, Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond and federal Minister
of Industry David Emerson gather to celebrate a total of $60
million in new federal and provincial funding to expand the
Prince Rupert Port.
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photo |
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Province
provides $563,000 for Langley Regional Airport Development
April 4, 2005 – The
Ministry of Transportation, through the Transportation Partnerships
Program, is working with the Township of Langley to fund the
development of 20 leased commercial lots and an adjoining taxiway
at the local airport. Pictured at the April 4, 2005 announcement
are (from left to right): Langley Township Mayor Kurt
Alberts, Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon, Langley Regional
Airport Manager George Miller and Langley MLA Lynn Stephens.
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here for full-size photo |
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$7
Million for North Shore Road Improvements
March 22, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon (left) joins (left to right) District of North
Vancouver Mayor Janice Harris, North Vancouver-Seymour MLA Dan
Jarvis and North Vancouver-Lonsdale MLA Katherine Whittred to
announce a $7-million transportation investment in North Vancouver.
Construction will include improvements at the Main Street/Mountain
Highway intersection and the Lillooet Road/Mt. Seymour Parkway
Intersection.
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photo |
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$15.1
Million for Surrey Four-Laning
March 17, 2005 – Minister of Transportation Kevin Falcon (far right) announces the beginning of construction
on the $15.1-million Highway 15 four-laning project from 57th
to 68A Avenue in Surrey. Joining him for this BC/Federal government-funded
project announcement are: (left to right) Bruce Haynes,
Surrey Chamber of Commerce; Dave Hayer, Surrey-Tynehead MLA;
Jim King, Surrey Chamber of Commerce; and Brenda Locke, Surrey-Green
Timbers MLA.
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here for full-size photo |
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New
Cycling Lane Promotes Exercise, Green Travel
March 14, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon,
Victoria Mayor Alan Lowe, Victoria city councilor Denise Savoie
and Bike To Work Victoria President Rob Wickson travel along
Victoria’s newly opened Caledonia Street bike lane. The
$332,000 project was jointly funded by the Province and the
City of Victoria.
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photo |
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New
Signs Inform Travelers of Scenic Lillooet-Whistler Option
March 12, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon
unveils a new highway sign informing northern travellers destined
to Vancouver of the scenic route through Lillooet and Whistler.
Pictured left to right are T'it'q'et Band Chief Norm Leech,
Small Business and Economic Development Minister John Les, Regional
Transportation Advisory committee representative Bob Sheridan,
Kevin Falcon, Yale-Lillooet MLA Dave Chutter and Lillooet Spirit
of BC Committee Chair Christ'l Roshard.
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photo |
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Airport
Expansion Boosts Fraser Valley Economy
March 10, 2005 – The Ministries of Transportation and
Small Business and Economic Development join the City of Abbotsford
to invest $6.8 million in an expansion at Abbotsford Airport.
Pictured from left to right are: Abbotsford-Mt Lehman MLA Mike
de Jong, SBED Minister John Les, Abbotsford Airport Authority
Vice-Chair Henry Braun, Abbotsford Mayor Mary Reeves and Transportation
Minister Kevin Falcon.
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photo |
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New
Safety Barriers on Mission Bridge to Save Lives
March 4, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon was
in Mission recently to announce a $370,000 investment to install
safety barriers on the Mission Bridge, which will help prevent
head-on collisions. Pictured, left to right, are: Mission Mayor
Abe Neufeld, Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon, Abbotsford-Mount
Lehman MLA Michael de Jong, Maple Ridge-Mission MLA Randy Hawes
and Abbotsford-Clayburn MLA John van Dongen.
Click here for full-size
photo |
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$337,500
for Pitt Meadows Airport
March 4, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon announces
provincial funding to resurface two runways at the Pitt Meadows
Airport.
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full-size photo |
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Province
Invests $14 million in Maple Ridge Highway Safety Improvements
March 4, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon announces
$14-million safety improvements on Highway 7 from 285th Ave.
to Silverdale/Mclean Ave. in Maple Ridge. Improvements include
four-laning that stretch of highway, as well as upgrading and
widening a number of intersections within the project scope.
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photo |
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$337,500
for Pitt Meadows Airport
March 4, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon
(right) and MLA Ken Stewart (second from left)
present a $337,500 cheque to the Pitt Meadows Airport manager
Bill Neale (left) and Pitt Meadows Mayor Don Maclean
to resurface two runways at the Pitt Meadows Airport.
Click here for
full-size photo |
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New
Avalanche Technology to Improve Highway Safety
March 1, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon watches
as Avalanche Technician Bruce Allen demonstrates how to determine
snow resistance, information which is crucial to predicting
avalanches. The Ministry of Transportation has invested $943,000
to install a new remote avalanche control system which will
help prevent avalanches from reaching the Trans-Canada Highway
east of Revelstoke.
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photo |
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New
Avalanche Technology to Improve Highway Safety
March 1, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon and
Avalanche Technician Rob Hemming examine a newly installed remote
avalanche control system on the Laurie Avalanche Path east of
Revelstoke. The system uses explosives to trigger small avalanches,
which significantly prevents the likelihood of larger avalanches
from occurring.
Click here for full-size
photo |
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$52,730
for Vernon Bike Paths
March 1, 2005 – Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon (left)
and Okanagan-Vernon MLA Tom Christensen (centre) present
Vernon Mayor Sean Harvey with a cheque to support a bike path
and bike lane in Vernon. The funding is provided through the
province's Cycling Infrastructure Partnership Program.
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$900,000
for New Left-Turn Lane in Salmon Arm
February 28, 2005 – Minister Falcon announces construction
will begin on a new $900,000 left-turn lane in Salmon Arm, which
will increase safety for motorists accessing local businesses.
Participating in the announcement are: (left to right)
Shuswap MLA George Abbott; ICBC Regional Coordinator Kevin Irvine;
Pedro Gonzales Fruitstand owner Derrick Ruth; Transportation
Minister Kevin Falcon; DeMille's Farm Market owner Roger DeMille;
and Salmon Arm Mayor Colin Mayes.
Click here for full-size photo |
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$5.5
Million for New Pacific Marine Circle Route
January 28, 2005 – Cowichan-Ladysmith MLA Graham Bruce (back, centre) listens as Transportation Minister Kevin
Falcon discusses the benefits of a new Pacific Marine Route
that will pass through Victoria, Sooke, Port Renfrew, Lake Cowichan
and Duncan. To support the route, the Ministry of Transportation
is investing $5.5 million to acquire and upgrade the road between
Port Renfrew and Masachie Lake, on the way to Lake Cowichan.
Click here for full-size photo
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$24.8
Million Improvements to Mt. Lehman Interchange
January 10, 2005 – Celebrating the start of construction
of the Abbotsford interchange project are, (left to right)
Abbotsford-Clayburn MLA John van Dongen, Transportation
Minister Kevin Falcon, Abbotsford Mayor Mary Reeves, Abbotsford-Mt.
Lehman MLA Mike de Jong and President of R.F. Binnie and Associates,
Rob Campbell. Improvements will reduce traffic congestion and
increase safety.
Click here for full-size photo
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$24.8
Million Improvements to Mt. Lehman Interchange
January 10, 2005 – Giving their enthusiastic go-ahead
for the construction of the Abbotsford interchange project are (left to right) Abbotsford-Clayburn MLA John van Dongen,
Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon, Abbotsford Mayor Mary
Reeves, Abbotsford-Mt. Lehman MLA Mike de Jong and President
of R.F. Binnie and Associates, Rob Campbell. Improvements will
reduce traffic congestion and increase safety.
Click here for full-size photo |
