FREDERICTON, N.B. — Transportation Minister Percy Mockler is committing to a major bridge announcement for a new Petitcodiac River crossing by the end of May, with or without the federal government.

“I can tell you, as minister of transportation, I will be making an announcement on this matter in the near future. If (the federal government) are not part of my announcement, they will not be part of the announcement,” says Mockler. “If they want to be part of the announcement, let them come to the table now. The clock is ticking.”

Mockler wants a final answer on Ottawa’s contribution to the bridge project, which the transportation minister vows to be an infrastructure “icon.”

Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe MP Claudette Bradshaw says the federal government has infrastructure money ready for the bridge project, but the provincial government hasn’t sent in an application.

The bridge project is now estimated at $22-million and in order to make the improvements a reality, the City of Moncton and Town of Riverview have each coughed up an additional $750,000. The only hold up is the remaining $1-million from the federal government.

Provincial Department of Transportation engineers and architects have been working since last November on new designs for the enhanced Moncton-to-Riverview bridge. The preliminary drawings have been shown to officials within Moncton and Riverview councils.

Mockler says he has met with federal Transport Minister David Collenette about getting money through the showcase program, but now he needs Bradshaw to deliver funding to her riding.