With the arrival of warmer weather, construction season is now in full swing across Newfoundland and Labrador. Crews are out across the province performing “scratch and patch” repairs, paving major highways, and launching multi-million-dollar infrastructure projects planned for the 2025 construction season.
On roads throughout the Avalon, Burin, and Central regions, drivers are encountering familiar signs of spring: fresh asphalt, flaggers in high-vis gear, and the low hum of milling and paving machinery. The scratch and patch method—removing a worn asphalt layer and replacing it with a fresh patch—remains a key maintenance strategy used by the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DTI) to quickly address potholes and surface damage caused by the freeze-thaw cycle.
But beyond maintenance, this year’s work plan includes more than $316 million in highway construction and bridge work, part of a larger five-year, $1.4 billion commitment to improve the province’s transportation network.
Key Projects in 2025 Construction Season:
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Trans-Canada Highway Upgrades (TCH – Doyles to South Branch): Extensive resurfacing is already underway on this critical stretch of the TCH on the west coast. The project will also include culvert replacement and shoulder improvements to improve drainage and safety.
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Route 360 (Bay d’Espoir Highway) and Route 340 (Road to the Isles): These high-traffic regional highways will see full-depth reclamation and paving throughout the summer, addressing long-standing pavement issues.
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Bridge Rehabilitation Projects: Several bridges across the province will undergo major repair or replacement this season, including structures near Baie Verte, Clarenville, and Deer Lake.
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New Projects on the Avalon Peninsula: The DTI has confirmed new work on sections of Route 60, Route 2 (Pitts Memorial Drive), and feeder roads in CBS and Paradise. These areas will see both repaving and shoulder widening where possible.
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Route 3 Arterial in St. John’s and Mount Pearl: With joint funding from federal and provincial governments, this project will complete the long-awaited north-south arterial connection, easing traffic congestion between the region’s largest municipalities. Work includes road grading, paving, and the addition of new intersections.
In addition to these provincial initiatives, municipal governments are moving ahead with localized infrastructure work. In St. John’s, road crews are focused on resurfacing key collector roads, repairing sidewalk infrastructure, and replacing underground utilities in older neighbourhoods.
Short-Term Disruption, Long-Term Gains
Construction season typically runs from May through October, depending on weather conditions. With the sheer volume of work taking place, drivers should expect delays, detours, and temporary lane closures—particularly on heavily traveled routes like the TCH, Route 2, and provincial secondary highways.
The province is urging motorists to slow down in work zones, where fines are doubled and worker safety is paramount. Roadwork is usually scheduled during daylight hours, but some night paving may occur in higher-traffic areas to minimize disruption.
As Newfoundland and Labrador continues investing heavily in its roads and infrastructure, the summer of 2025 promises to be one of the busiest construction seasons in recent memory. While it may mean some short-term frustration, the improvements are essential to keeping communities connected and transportation routes safe and reliable.