WINNIPEG — Ottawa says it will commit up to $21 million for an interchange of the TransCanada and Yellowhead highways and of a road/rail grade separation at the CN Rail main line, the governments of Canada and Manitoba announced.

The junction of these highways is seven kilometres west of Portage La Prairie.
“We are committed to establishing the Gateway and Corridor system as the best link between North America and Asia, and will continue to work with the provinces and stakeholders to make it happen,” said Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon.

David Emerson, minister of International Trade and the Pacific Gateway, commented that the interchange is critical to creating a competitive transportation and logistics system from the west coast ports to the “heartland of the North American market.”

The proposed project, which is expected to cost a total of $50 million, will improve intermodal connectivity by facilitating truck and rail movements to rail container yards in Winnipeg and other intermodal facilities located in this region. It will also improve access to the border crossing with U.S., to eastern Canada markets, and to the ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert.

Work includes upgrading an at-grade, traffic signal-controlled intersection at the TransCanada and Yellowhead highways to a grade-separated interchange; and upgrading the crossing at the nearby CNR main line to a grade-separated facility.

The TransCanada and Yellowhead highways with the CNR main line are two of the three primary east-west transportation corridors across Canada (the other being the Canadian Pacific Railway main line). These corridors are the main conduit for international trade traffic to and from Eastern Canada, Western Canada and the Asia-Pacific rim.