WOODSTOCK, N.B. (Nov. 19, 2003) — Two New Brunswick border crossing are set to receive $95 million in funding for infrastructure improvements, Canadian Transport Minister David Collenette announced this week.

The St. Stephen and Woodstock border crossings will both receive federal and provincial cash to improve the trade corridor to and from Atlantic Canada and the United States. Investment at St. Stephen will come from the Border Infrastructure Fund, while the government’s contribution at Woodstock will be made under the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund.

Both levels of government will invest up to $30 million each towards infrastructure work for a new border crossing and necessary CCRA facilities outside St. Stephen in Southwest New Brunswick — effectively reducing international truck traffic out of the downtown area. Funding will go towards the construction of the Canadian section of a new international bridge, and road improvements, including a new four-lane highway between St. Stephen and Waweig. The St. Stephen/Milltown border crossings combined ranked 9th busiest in Canada in 2002, with 6000 vehicles a day, including 600 trucks.

At Woodstock — which handles 2,390 vehicles a day, 21 per cent of which are trucks — each level of government will contribute $10 million to convert 12 kilometres of Highway 95 into a four-lane divided highway, linking the Trans-Canada Highway to the border crossing.

The plan also calls for implementation of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) components such as Free and Secure Trade (FAST) and NEXUS lanes at both border crossings.

“The Woodstock-Houlton and the St. Stephen-Calais border crossings are key in the efficient movement of New Brunswick’s and Atlantic Canada’s exports to the United States,” New Brunswick Transport Minister Robichaud said in a press release. “By enhancing these international trade corridors, we are investing in the future economic growth of our province.”

— with files from Canadian Press