OTTAWA — Time is money. Expect to lose both this spring and summer.

Like most Western governments these days, conventional wisdom in Ottawa seems to suggest that the best way to get out of a recession is to spend your way out through infrastructure projects.

In he last federal budget, the Conservatives set aside $12 billion in funding for highways and bridges and the like. Only time will tell whether or not the Big Build of 2009 will pull Canada out of its economic rut, but in the meantime a lot of patience will be needed from the entire motoring public.

Construction season is fast approaching and with countless stretches of the nation’s highway system to get treated with the backside of a shovel, this summer could extend many trip times from truckers. And it’s going to cost.

In late January, a burned-out bridge in B.C. gave a little glimpse of the effect that construction on major routes will have on the trucking industry. 

A portion of the Pattullo Bridge was put out of commission after part of the wooden support structure caught fire. For eight days the bridge’s 80,000 daily drivers were diverted to other routes across the Fraser River. 

Funding for 2009’s budget is the second highest the
federal government has spent on infrastructure projects

The B.C. Trucking Association estimated the trucking industry was losing anywhere between $3.3 million and $10.3 million every day. Even just a 30-minute delay could make a big impact on fuel and wage costs. The cost? An extra $18.80 per typical trip for a straight truck. Hard to swallow.

"If this causes us to have more serious discussions, then that’s great, but we’re having these problems with or without construction," says Louise Yako, vice-president of policy, communications, and policy with the BCTA.

There’s not always a lot that can be done to mitigate the effect of large-scale construction, but Yako suggests carriers talk to their shippers and work with local governments to come up with solutions.

"We need to look at our noise bylaws. Can trucks be more efficient at night?" asks Yako. "We have a few waste management and recycling fleets in our membership and they could lop off 30 percent of their time on the road if they started two hours earlier."

BIG BUILD:

Parts of the $12 billion from the 2009 budget is already spoken for, including: $130 million for twinning the Trans-Canada Highway through Banff National park, $212 million to rehabilitate the Champlain Bridge in Montreal.

Up to $14.5 million for the U.S.-Canada border crossings of the Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia and the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie. Up to $42 million for other federal bridges in need of rehabilitation throughout Canada.

Provinces, territories and municipalities will have the opportunity to submit proposals for the $12 billion in funding during the next two years. It’s being provided on a "use it or lose it" basis, and regional governments aren’t likely to pass up the opportunity to receive federal dollars.

A little bit of planning can help but it can only go so far in helping avoid construction, says Bud Rush, an owner-operator with United Van Lines. He crosses the country in his Freightliner cabover moving furniture, so he sees it all.

"Sometimes I plan ahead, especially when I know there’s construction in the area," he says. "I try and drive through at night if I can."

While most regions try to provide alternate routes, or perform most of the work during non-peak hours, sometimes there are no alternatives for truck traffic.

"In Canada, if there’s an alternate route it’s usually two or three hours out of the way," notes Rush.

All the sitting around will pay off in the end with better roads. But in the meantime, a lot of trucking dollars will be lost waiting for it all to happen.