The provincial and federal governments are teaming up to improve connections to the Fundy Trail Parkway.
Fundy Royal MP Alaina Lockhart, and Premier Brian Gallant announced $45 million for the Fundy Trail Connector Project.
Fundy Trail connection to open in 2019.https://t.co/SzgLjbk2sq pic.twitter.com/dyOk0zspP8
— Government of NB (@Gov_NB) December 2, 2016
$32.3 million is coming from the provincial government with the remaining $13.2 million coming from the Federal Government.
“Fundy Trail is such a important part of our tourism sector here in New Brunswick, and tourism is so crucial to the New Brunswick economy we’re very proud to make this $32 million investment to ensure the Fundy Trail Parkway Connector will be completed,” says Gallant.
“We believe that as we go through the next few years and finalize the Fundy Trail Connector, that we’re going to find ourselves with the even stronger experience to offer tourism people,” says Gallant. “And we think that this is going to be very good for the New Brunswick economy.”
Gallant says while there’s no doubt this investment will create jobs in the short term there are vital long term impacts as well.
“It’s going to ensure that the Fundy Trail Parkway Connector is going to be finalized, it’s going to improve the experience,” says Gallant. “And we have no doubt it’s going to help us continue the momentum we’ve seen in tourism over the last few years which will help our economy, which will create jobs.”
The project will involve new road construction, as well as upgrades to Little Salmon River Road, Creek Road and Shepody Road.
Once completed, these roads will form a connection to the eastern end of the Fundy Trail Parkway, linking major tourism attractions through the Alma region including Hopewell Rocks, Cape Enrage, and Fundy National Park, and expanding tourism opportunities through the Bay of Fundy experience.
The network will also provide travellers a connection to the Sussex region.
Under typical government financing and construction scheduling, the project would not be complete until 2023.
The provincial government is managing the project in partnership with the private sector, and is using accelerated methods and phasing to ensure a connection to the eastern end of the Fundy Trail is open as soon as possible.
The connector road to the Sussex region will open to traffic in late 2019, while the connector road to the Alma region will be upgraded by the end of 2020.
All road surfacing and other finishing work will be done and the project completed in 2021.
The second phase of the Fundy Trail Parkway, a closed-loop road from St. Martins to McCumber Brook kiosk and back to St. Martins, will be opened in mid-2018 as scheduled.
