As part of Budget 2022: Recover Together and the Manitoba government’s $1.5 billion three-year commitment to improving Manitoba’s highway network, Premier Heather Stefanson and Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk announced over $13 million to reconstruct the main access route into Dauphin.
“As committed to in Budget 2022, our government is investing in our communities by building safe and reliable infrastructure that supports economic growth and opportunity,” said Stefanson. “This highway project will not only benefit the City of Dauphin and improve the quality of life for those living, working and commuting in this area, it will also foster greater economic opportunities with expanded access to trade routes.”
Provincial Trunk Highway (PTH) 5A serves as the main south access into the City of Dauphin. Expanded commercial development along the route has resulted in increased traffic volumes and higher collision rates. Improvements and restorations to the road will benefit the community and the region by enhancing safety and traffic flows along the high-volume main thoroughfare that is an integral trade route to economic development in the area.
The 1.7-km project within the City of Dauphin covers a section of PTH 5A from Whitmore Avenue south to Triangle Road including:
- surface reconstruction with the creation of a divided highway;
- improving highway safety within a developed commercial area by having all local accesses connect to service roads and service roads connecting to PTH 5A at upgraded intersections;
- creating a signalized intersection at the local mall entrance; and
- constructing service roads along both the east and west sides of PTH 5A from their existing points south to Triangle Road.
“Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure has been working in collaboration with the City of Dauphin and its officials for several years to finalize the design concept and details to ensure the project meets the growing needs of the community,” said Piwniuk. “We look forward to strengthening our partnerships with communities across the province by investing in long-term strategic projects to build the foundation of Manitoba’s economic growth through trade and commerce infrastructure.”
“This is great and exciting news for our city. The improvements made to PTH 5A will help improve the flow of traffic in the south end and make things safer for not only pedestrians who work in the area but drivers going to and from our local businesses,” said Mayor Christian Laughland, City of Dauphin. “We also look forward to the impact these changes have when it comes to economic development in our community.”
The province will advertise the tender for the reconstruction of a section of PTH 5A by the end of May. The project, estimated at over $13 million, is anticipated to be completed before 2023, noted the minister, in advance of Dauphin serving as the host community for the 2024 Manitoba Summer Games.
