Major rehabilitation work part of a C$95M investment program in partnership with the
Quebec Ministry of Transport
QUEBEC, March 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ - CN (TSX: CNR)
(NYSE: CNI) today announced its annual major work program for the
Quebec Bridge. The cost of the work to be undertaken in 2015 is
estimated at C$7 million, bringing
the total investment in the bridge since 2013 to C$17 million. CN plans to invest up to
C$95 million over 10 years to ensure
the safety and long-term viability of the Quebec Bridge.
The work is part of the major work program that CN and the
Ministère des transports du Québec (MTQ) agreed upon in 2013
following a thorough inspection of the entire bridge by engineering
firm Roche. The agreement reflects the dual purpose of the bridge
and takes into account the fact that the bridge will mainly be used
for road traffic.
In addition to providing for major investments, the agreement
also outlines up-to-date road surface design and management best
practices. The MTQ has indicated it intends to replace the entire
roadway deck over the next few years. The new deck, which is
expected to cost tens of millions of dollars, will feature
improvements mandated under the agreement, including an improved
drainage system allowing de-icing salt-contaminated water to drain
off to prevent wear and extend the life of the bridge. MTQ's
investments are in addition to those made under the major
rehabilitation program in partnership with CN.
Claude Mongeau, president and
chief executive officer of CN, said: "CN has been investing heavily
in the Quebec Bridge for over a century to extend its life even
though it has been used less and less for rail traffic. The major
rehabilitation program, which covers the 2015 program announced
today, confirms CN's ongoing commitment to preserve a strategic
piece of infrastructure for Quebec
City."
About CN
CN is a true backbone of the economy,
transporting more than C$250 billion
worth of goods annually for a wide range of business sectors,
ranging from resource products to manufactured products to consumer
goods, across a rail network spanning Canada and mid-America. CN – Canadian National
Railway Company, along with its operating railway subsidiaries –
serves the cities and ports of Vancouver, Prince
Rupert, B.C., Montreal,
Halifax, New Orleans, and Mobile, Ala., and the metropolitan areas of
Toronto, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, Chicago, Memphis, Detroit, Duluth,
Minn./Superior, Wis., and
Jackson, Miss., with connections
to all points in North America.
For more information on CN, visit the company's website at
www.cn.ca.
SOURCE CN