Surrey council gave a thumbs-up this week to around $15 million in contracts for road-widening work planned for an eight-block stretch of 32 Avenue.
"This is really very good news to see," Mayor Brenda Locke said during the Feb. 24 council meeting, prior to council's vote on a staff recommendation to award the project to Timbro Contracting Ltd.
The widening and other upgrades will target the busy thoroughfare between 176 and 184 Streets.
"For those businesses in Campbell Heights, this is going to be really important… so I know they'll be very happy about this," Locke said.
According to a corporate report, Timbro tendered an estimate of $14,454,802.95 for the roadworks, which are anticipated to require a shut down of the eight blocks for around two months this summer, "to facilitate construction and expedite the work."
Plans, the report explains, include widening the roadway to four lanes from two, to support growth and increased traffic volumes. As well, pedestrian and cycling infrastructure is to be added, as are upgrades to drainage infrastructure.
The work, the report continues, represents the second phase of a program aimed at improving transportation and goods movement in Campbell Heights. It's expected complete by fall 2026.
Phase 1 – expected complete this spring – is currently underway between 184 and 188 streets. Phase 3 is to tackle the stretch between 192 and 196 streets.
The thoroughfare was described as a key corridor in a corporate report endorsed by council in July 2022 "which identified and prioritized developing specific arterial roads to support the City's growth."
At the Feb. 24 meeting, council also supported awarding a $555,083 contract for "related engineering construction services" associated with Phase 2 to RF Binnie & Associates Ltd.
