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News ReleaseGOVERNMENTS CELEBRATE IMPROVEMENTS TO HIGHWAY 97

Highway 97 now four lanes from Penticton to Greata Ranch

Summerland, British Columbia, September 7, 2010 The completion of the Highway97 Bentley Road to Okanagan Lake Park project was celebrated today by Stockwell Day,President of the Treasury Board of Canada and Minister of the Asia-Pacific Gateway andMP Okanagan-Coquihalla, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Shirley Bond,Penticton MLA Bill Barisoff and other community leaders.

The new four-lane portion of Highway 97 from Bentley Road to Okanagan Lake Parkcreates a 35-km stretch of continuous four-lane highway from Penticton to Greata Ranch,just south of Peachland.

This investment in upgrades to Highway 97 builds on the Government of Canadascommitment to improve highway safety across Canada, said Minister Day. This workwill make life better for commuters and residents in the Okanagan Valley and is just oneof the partnership investments our governments are making through the Provincial-Territorial Base Fund.

Were improving Highway 97 right through the Okanagan Valley to meet the needs ofone of the fastest growing regions of the province, said Bond. By upgrading this stretchof Highway 97 to four lanes, weve created a safer route for residents, visitors and forcommercial traffic in the Okanagan. I want to say a very special thank you to everyonewho worked so hard to complete this significant project. Without the skill and expertiseof hundreds of workers, this project would not have been possible.

The initiative involved widening a seven-kilometre stretch of Highway 97 to four lanesand constructing three kilometres of frontage roads to consolidate local accesses. Inaddition to improved mobility and reduced congestion, motorists will also benefit fromsafety improvements, including wider paved shoulders, rumble strips and roadsidebarriers.

Construction crews were faced with a significant challenge in October 2008 when a largefissure was discovered on a rock slope above the highway just north of Summerland. Thehighway was closed for 19 days while the site was stabilized. Approximately 55,000cubic metres of rock had to be blasted from the site.

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This initiative greatly improves the safety of an important stretch of highway, saidMLA Barisoff. It was a challenging initiative and I thank the workers for a tremendousjob, and the travelling public and residents of the South Okanagan for their patience.

The Province partnered with the Government of Canada to fund the Highway 97 BentleyRoad to Okanagan Lake Park initiative. Since 2001, over $900 million has been investedin upgrading roads, highways, bridges and transit in the Okanagan Valley.

A total of 17 major projects have been completed in the Okanagan Valley since 2001 anda further 21 projects are underway, with expected completion by the end of 2012.

Contacts: John BabcockOffice of the Honourable Chuck StrahlMinister of Transport, Infrastructureand Communities

613-991-0700

Dave CreboPublic Affairs BureauMinistry of Transportation andInfrastructure

250-387-7787