YAHK, B.C. — A $2.4 million expansion of the Yahk Weigh Scale at the junction of Highways 3 and 95 in eastern B.C., increasing highway safety and weigh scale capacity, is set to begin.

“I am pleased this important project is moving forward,” said David Emerson, Minister of Industry and co-senior Minister responsible for B.C. “Improving access to the Yahk Weigh Scale will help to eliminate congestion and improve safety on this heavily used and internationally significant truck route.”

The Yahk weigh scale serves north-south truck traffic using the Kingsgate border crossing and east-west traffic along Crowsnest Highway 3.

The collision rate adjacent to the weigh scale site is higher than the provincial average for similar facilities. The project will improve both the scale capacity and highway safety through a new single access lane to the weigh scale, expansion of the weigh scale and improvements to the Highway 3 and 95 intersection.

Truck traffic at the junction of Highways 3 and 95 has increased in the last 10 years and now represents over 20 per cent of highway traffic using this route.

“This will give the community of Yahk a more substantial economic base as it gives them more opportunity to cater to truckers who will be stopping at the scales,” said Blair Suffredine, Nelson-Creston MLA. “It’s great to see different levels of government come to the table, work together and deliver something substantial to this community.”

Construction will begin this April and is scheduled for completion in October 2005. Funding for this initiative was provided for in the March 2004 federal budget.