WINNIPEG — “The Headingly bypass will make a huge difference for the trucking industry,” Manitoba’s Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation, Steve Ashton told this province’s trucking association during their annual meeting Tuesday, less than one day after he announced a major expenditure on the project.

The 14-km, $150-million Headingly bypass is an integral addition to the province’s ambitious Centreport Plan.

Most of the land required to build the bypass is privately owned and Ashton told the Manitoba Trucking Association (MTA) meeting that the only real-estate obstacle at the moment is a rifle range that belongs to the Department of National Defense. He said the Province will work cooperatively with the Federal Government to relocate the range.

Currently, the Trans-Canada that goes through Headingly, which is in the northwest part of Winnipeg, carries about 19,000 cars a day and officials say the Headingly bypass will drastically ease traffic congestion in that part of the city.

Making the highway-style road easily accessible to the CentrePort facilities will make the structure more attractive to other transport companies who want quick access to higher-speed-limit routes.

Ashton also told the MTA that the province is committed to bringing highway 75 up to “Interstate” standards so it will not be subject to flood closures so frequently.