The Comox Valley will benefit from close to $1 million in funding for three highway projects.The improvements include stabilizing the riverbed surrounding the Coal Creek Bridge on Highway 19A, replacing Fraser Road culverts, and resurfacing a section of Clarkson Avenue.• The Coal Creek Bridge project will ensure the bridge remains safe and the communities of Fanny Bay and Mud Bay continue to have access to Highway 19A and Vancouver Island Highway.• Replacing Fraser Road culverts will ensure the alternate route between Highway 19A and Highway 19 remains open and safe for Courtenay, Cumberland, and the Comox Valley Regional District.• Resurfacing Clarkson Avenue will provide a smooth and comfortable route to Miracle Beach Provincial Park.“These improvements will bring jobs to the Comox Valley and enable people and goods to move more safely and efficiently through the region. I am proud to be part of a government that makes keeping families safe on our highways a top priority,” Comox Valley MLA Don McRae said in a news release.• The Coal Creek Bridge project is located on Highway 19A over Wilfred Creek between Fanny Bay and Mud Bay. The design work to stabilize the riverbed is underway and is expected to be completed in March. The project is estimated to cost $195,000.• The Fraser Road culverts are located three kilometres south of Courtenay on Fraser Road, a link between the Comox Valley Parkway and Highway 19A and the Island Highway.The project will include the design and replacement of the two culverts, which have reached the end of their serviceable lives. Work will begin late this summer. The project is estimated to cost $375,000.• Resurfacing Clarkson Avenue will involve 1.8 km between Miracle Beach Drive and Maple Drive. The project will be tendered this month and work is estimated to be complete in June 2012. The project is estimated to cost $400,000.— B.C. Government Caucus Communications