Partnerships BC says no to Expressway as toll road

Burnside - The provincial government is taking a closer look at developing three major infrastructure projects by partnering with the private sector, but the Burnside Expressway isnt among them.

The province asked Partnerships BC to review 10 possible projects, including the Burnside Expressway, for their feasibility to be developed as strategic infrastructure partnerships or SIPs.

As a result of that study, the province will develop detailed business cases for proceeding with three projects as public-private partnerships: twinning the 104 Highway from Sutherlands River to the Canso Causeway; building new jails in Antigonish and Cumberland counties; and the development of a mobile radio system to be used by emergency personnel.

Partnerships BC felt that because [the Burnside Expressway] was a small project that it wouldnt be as effective as a strategic infrastructure partnership, says Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Murray Scott. The three were looking at were more manageable projects.

The report concludes that, since the proposed Expressway is a short stretch of highway within an existing road network, it would not be feasible as a design-build-finance-operate (DBFO) project (in other words, a toll road).

However, the report adds that if a private partner could be found to coordinate the design and construction processes the province might benefit from a design build (DB) approach.

The end result is that the province continues to be committed to building the Expressway, but how it will be paved is still an open question.

The Expressway being left off the short list doesnt mean that we still wont move ahead with the expressway as a strategic infrastructure partnership, Scott says. We have to decide if were going to do it on our own. If we do it ourselves, it will have to go into next years budget.

And while Scott said it was still too early to talk about a timeline for construction, some work is progressing on the proposed Expressway.

Pre-site selection and design are being evaluated, Scott says, adding that, as development continues in and around Burnside, the Expressway will take on even greater urgency.

There are other projects underway in Sackville, Bedford and other areas that will make Burnside and the traffic around there even more important. We know its very important to people in Burnside and its very important to us too, he says.

The government committed in its November 2007 throne speech to begin work on the Expressway in 2008, and reiterated the importance of the Expressway when Premier Rodney MacDonald outlined his vision of the Atlantic Gateway in April 2008.

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