FREDERICTON, N.B. – The provincial government hopes to recoup about $4 million worth of equipment and assets when toll plazas are removed later this year from the Fredericton-Moncton highway.

The Department of Transportation has apparently found uses and potential uses for the assets from the tolling stations at Salisbury and Mazerolle Settlement, except for the two concrete plaza buildings themselves.

“We’ve looked at all the options – using the plaza buildings in their present locations or moving the buildings to other sites, and what to do with all of the equipment inside the buildings,” Transportation Minister Margaret-Ann Blaney said. “The department has concluded its study of alternative uses for the plaza buildings. These included a potential commercial vehicle inspection site, a rest area site, a tourism/visitor information centre or a private/commercial facility.

“The study concluded these sites were not suitable for any of these alternatives without major redevelopment and cost or without seriously compromising safety, A major concern is that using the existing exit and entrance ramps would compromise highway design standards and practices and would create additional safety concerns.”

The equipment that may be re-used includes eight steel toll booths, various types of lighting, signs and poles, computer equipment, electronics, office equipment, generators, and other assets. MRDC is required to restore the sections of highway to standard highway specifications by Oct. 31, 2000.

“The toll plaza buildings are the last visible signs of tolls in New Brunswick,” Blaney said. “New Brunswickers have won the battle against these unfair, discriminatory taxes and have saved millions of dollars by removing them from our provincial highways.” n