FREDERICTON, NB – New Brunswick will invest a total of $409.5 million in bridges, highways, buildings and equipment during its 2015-2016 fiscal year.

Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Roger Melanson tabled his department’s capital budget on Friday.

“These estimates reflect our government’s commitment to invest in infrastructure renewal and help move New Brunswick forward,” Melanson said. “Our investments will boost our economy in the short-term, through immediate job creation, and in the long-term through the building of strategic infrastructure resources.”

The majority of capital funding will be invested in road and bridge maintenance and building upgrades to create jobs, improve safety and produce long-term savings.

Funding for provincially-designated highways in municipalities will increase by $16.2 million for a total of $25 million, the largest amount ever invested in provincially-designated highways in municipalities.

The capital budget for the department includes $78.7 million for bridges, and $214.4 million for highways.

Some of the projects include:

* $20 million for continued work on the Route 11 Caraquet Bypass;

* $19.2 million to begin twinning Route 11 from Route 15 to the Shediac River;

* $5.4 million to complete upgrades to Route 17 in the Black Book area near St. Quentin;

* $6.5 million to continue the replacement of the Kouchibouguacis River Bridge in St. Louis-de-Kent;

* $4 million to start upgrades to the Southwest Miramichi Bridge in Doaktown; and

* $4 million for upgrades to the Narrows Bridge on Route 695 in Cambridge Narrows.