Mayor Tom Rose is elated that two safety issues are being addressed with the upgrades to a section of the Hansen Highway leading into Stephenville.
He said in addition to some very bad dips in the road being taken care of, the work is also dealing with a width factor.
Rose said this section of road was below the standard width for secondary highways and now it will be an extra metre wider.
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Another aspect of the work that he is pleased with on the construction being done by Marine Contractors Inc. is that they are removing all the paving material and putting down Class A gravel prior to the new pavement. He believes it will make a smooth new surface.
He is also hoping that Transportation and Works will take care of the issue with the buildup of silt under the bridge in Noel’s Pond.
John Finn, MHA for Stephenville – Port au Port, said he’s extremely pleased to see the significant work being completed on Route 460.
“After many years of neglect from the previous government, to say this work was long overdue is an understatement. Marine Contracting is doing an excellent job in a very timely fashion,” he said.
Finn said an inspection of Warm Creek Bridge was completed in spring 2018 by the Department of Transportation and Works that no structural issues were identified and the bridge is safe for motorists.
He said the inspection did recommend dredging to prevent excess water levels from reaching the surface of the bridge during spring runoff and heavy rainfalls.
Finn said the Department of Transportation and Works recently received the permits to dredge the creek from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment. The dredging will take place this summer.
He said further road work is scheduled on Route 460 next year, while brush clearing will continue this fall.
The current upgrades extend from the intersection with the road leading into Gull Pond and with the intersection with Brook Street in Stephenville.
