WOODSTOCK, N.B. — Trade between Atlantic Canada and the US is expected to flow more efficiently with the completion of a 14-kilometre highway project in New Brunswick.

The international border crossing between Woodstock, N.B. and Houlton, Maine, is New Brunswicks busiest commercial crossing and a key trade corridor between Atlantic Canada and the northeastern US.

The twinning of Route 95 was endorsed by all four Atlantic Provinces, as an important support to regional trade and the economy of the entire region.

“Completing the twinning of Route 95 between Woodstock and Houlton constitutes a major achievement for our province,” said Premier Shawn Graham. “Route 95 is a vital link to important markets in the United States, and this highway improvement will significantly contribute to our objective of making New Brunswick self-sufficient by 2026.”

The project consisted of twinning the entire section of existing two-lane highway on Route 95 between the Trans-Canada Highway and the international border at Houlton. The new highway is a four-lane divided highway that includes a new interchange at the Route 540 intersection and a grade separation at Plymouth Road.

The $33-million project was jointly funded by the federal and provincial governments, with federal funding provided through the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund.

“This new highway project demonstrates our governments continued commitment to improving the safety and efficiency of border crossings,” said Mike Allen, MP for Tobique Mactaquac.