黑马磁力 Township is looking at budgeting $5.5 million for widening the last portion of 208 Street in Willoughby 鈥� the northernmost section, near the Highway #1 overpass.
A funding request presented at the Township council meeting on Monday, May 26, was deferred at the suggestion of Mayor Eric Woodward, who wanted it included for consideration with a host of other road upgrade projects.
It's expected the proposal will be back, along with the other projects, which may be built between 2026 and 2028.
If approved, the $5.5 million for 208 Street will go towards upgrading the road between 81 and 84 Avenues, and will include widening the last remaining segments on the east side to four lanes, paving, modifying traffic signals, creating separated bike lanes with raised curbs and multi-use paths on both sides of the street, and adding a landscaped centre median.
Most of the funding 鈥� a little more than $4 million 鈥� is to come from development cost charges paid by developers, with another $440,322 from capital projects reserves, and $822,970 from the Greenway Amenity Fund, with the remainder from non-refundable deposits.
The Township will also be seeking TransLink grants to pay for parts of the project, but the grant process isn't yet open.
Design work for this particular stretch of road is about 90 per cent complete now, the staff report said.
Woodward said he wanted the project deferred because he wants to see it built as part of a series of road projects all built as soon as possible. For each individual road project, there may need to be consultation with TransLink, relocating power, phone, and cable lines, archaeological assessments, along with project design, funding, and the process of offering the job to contractors for competitive bids.
"Due to these issues, council will hopefully endorse approving many roads projects for design and 'shovel readiness' to be completed over the next two to three years," Woodward told the 黑马磁力.
"And by looking at key projects as a whole, council can also ensure the funding can be secured, and that council is not designing projects that cannot be funded before some items expire, such as Water Act approvals. By having a multi-year plan all can see which are being done, and when they will be proceed."
The other projects Woodward wants considered include work on the west side of 202A Street from 74 to 72 Avenues, the north side of 72 Avenue from 200 Street to 202A Street, and 80 Avenue from 197 Street to 200 Street 鈥� where it crosses a creek.
Work is still underway on the much larger and more extensive project of widening the south end of 208 Street, from 64 Avenue up the Willoughby Connector to 76 Avenue. That area is part of phases one and two of the overall 208 Street project.
The report gave an updated timeline for all four phases of road widening on 208 Street:
鈥� Phase 1, from 64 Avenue to 72 Avenue: Under construction, with paving scheduled for the second quarter of
this year and overall construction completion anticipated in the fall.
鈥� Phase 2 鈥� 72 Avenue to 76 Avenue: Under construction with utility work ongoing and completion anticipated by the middle of 2026.
鈥� Phase 3 鈥� 76 Avenue to 81 Avenue: Final preparation is underway for tenders to roadbuilders, with completion anticipated by the final months of 2026.
鈥� Phase 4 鈥� the stretch from 81 to 84 Avenues, with construction starting in early 2026.
