Commuters, residents and visitors will soon benefit from increased safety and improved traffic flow thanks to six road and bridge improvement projects across the province. All projects, including a new roundabout in Slemon Park, outside Summerside, will be funded through Canada’s Gas Tax Fund.
“Safe, modern and efficient roads and bridges are essential to ensuring the quality of life of local residents, transporting goods to market and encouraging visitors to our communities,” said the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of National Revenue and Regional Minister for Prince Edward Island. “Our Government will continue to deliver long-term funding to support municipalities and improve infrastructure in Prince Edward Island, while creating local jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity across Canada.”
”The province uses its share of the Gas Tax Fund to make strategic investments that benefit the health and safety of Islanders and that provide economic growth,” said the Honourable Robert Vessey, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal. “This year we are investing just over $38 million to improve the safety and efficiency of the Island’s highway network, and about $5 million of that comes directly from Gas Tax. The projects we’ve selected this year address highway infrastructure needs all over Rural Prince Edward Island.”
The construction of a roundabout at the entrance to Slemon Park on Route 2 just outside Summerside will help improve safety at this busy intersection. Roundabouts have been proven to reduce collisions in number and severity by reducing the speed of vehicles entering an intersection. Roundabouts also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by eliminating idling vehicles at signaled intersections.
Canada's Gas Tax Fund provides stable, long-term funding to local governments to help them build and revitalize public infrastructure. In December 2011, the Government of Canada passed legislation to make the Gas Tax Fund a permanent annual investment of $2 billion per year. The Government of Canada, through the Gas Tax Fund alone, provides $15 million in funding annually for municipal infrastructure in Prince Edward Island.
Investing in infrastructure is a key part of the Government of Canada’s plan for jobs, growth and long-term prosperity. Over the course of the summer, the Government of Canada is engaging provinces, territories, municipalities through municipal associations and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, as well as other key stakeholders in a series of roundtables to develop a new long-term infrastructure plan. This plan will focus on investments that support job creation and economic growth, while building strong, prosperous communities across the country. In addition, the Government of Canada will hold a roundtable with national stakeholders and private sector representatives at the end of the summer. Working together to develop this plan will provide new opportunities for all orders of government and the private sector to build partnerships to improve public infrastructure in Canada.
For further information on infrastructure investments in Prince Edward Island, visit www.infrastructure.gc.ca.
Backgrounder