As Forest Expo got  underway, Minister of Forest and Range, Rich Coleman, announced  the Province is putting $20.7 million dollars  into upgrading and maintaining forest service roads

Coleman says the  improvements will improve safety and "ensure we can safely accommodate more logging trucks."

The increases to the annual allowable cut have meant major increases in  logging truck traffic as  increased mountain pine beetle logging activity has added between 50,000 and 70,000 logging trucks on forest service roads each year.

This money is in addition to the $90 million announced by Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon in February.  Those dollars are to improve  provincial roads and highways which have taken a beating from a 600% increase in logging truck traffic.