Image Credit: CFJC Today / Kent Simmonds

By Jill Sperling

Construction Season

Construction to re-start on Trans Canada Highway near Chase

May 1, 2020 | 4:20 PM

KAMLOOPS — Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, construction has been deemed an essential service.

Now, the province is hoping this service will provide an essential boost to the economy.

It’s road construction season, and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has opened up more work opportunities.

One project that people have been waiting for is the Chase four-laning project on the Trans Canada Highway.

Construction had been paused since 2018.

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Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Claire Trevena says the work is about to re-start.

“I’m really happy to say that this is out on BC Bid today,” Trevena said, “which means construction companies can look at the opportunity and hopefully bid on it. I anticipate there’s going to be a lot of eagerness to bid on this. I know there’s a lot of appetite within the sector for work at the moment.”

Projects like this one are expected to help the province recover from the economic impact of COVID-19.

“It gets people to work,” Trevena said. “Obviously working within social distancing, safe workplaces, absolutely essential to make sure it’s a healthy and safe workplace, and I think the construction industry has been doing very well on that and making sure that people can get to work.”

The $260 million Chase four-laning project uses a Community Benefits Agreement, which prioritizes jobs for locals, Indigenous people and women.

The project has three phases: Hoffman’s Bluff to Chase Creek Road, Chase Creek Road to Chase West and Chase West to Jade Mountain.

“This portion of the project (is) Phase 2,” said Chase Mayor Rod Crowe. “Phase 1 would have been from Neskonlith through to Chase Creek Road, so this is actually Phase 2, which is from Chase Creek Road to the PetroCan.”

Early engagement work had begun for the project in 2015, however, when the NDP took power, no progress was made.

“Not enough work had been done at the time to make sure that it was ready to go for bid,” Trevena said. “We’ve done all the work now, we’ve worked with Neskonlith, we’ve worked to make sure we’ve got the engineering right.”

Crowe says he’s been told work will commence in the fall, adding the project brings the hope of a safer future.

“It improves the public safety is probably number one,” Crowe said. “We’ve had a lot of deaths down the road around Hoffman’s Bluff and that, so for the trucking and transportation, all of it, it’s a big piece.”