Maple Ridge city politicians were joined by provincial partners in a Monday morning photo opportunity to mark the next phase of construction on the Abernethy Way corridor.
The work is part of the city’s Maple Ridge Moves plan, and Mayor Dan Ruimy said it will shorten commutes, provide more housing opportunities, and eventually unlock employment lands being developed at 256th Street.
He was joined by Anne Kang, Minister of Municipal Affairs, and MLAs Bob D’Eith (Maple Ridge-Mission) and Lisa Beare (Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows), as well as members of council, and Kristi Maier, CEO of the Ridge Meadows Chamber of Commerce.
The city received $3.5 million in funding from the province’s Growing Communities Fund, for completion of the expansion from 224 to 230 Street.
The phased project will ultimately see a four-lane, east-west route across Maple Ridge from 256th to 210th Streets and Golden Ears Way. City council gave an $8.5 million contract for widening and upgrading from 224th to 230th Streets to Lafarge Canada.
READ ALSO: Maple Ridge council gives contract for more work on Abernethy Way
The city has also committed partial funding for the further corridor expansion to 240th Street, but will require senior government funding to move forward next year.
Mayor Dan Ruimy noted Maple Ridge is growing at double the national rate, and infrastructure needs to keep up the pace to allow more housing and industrial growth.
“We are all doing what we can at the local level to prepare for population growth, now we need the provincial and federal governments to step up and help us complete this important work,” said Ruimy. “With matching funds from the provincial and federal governments we can move forward with the next phase of construction in 2025.”
“Today we are launching a project that is about much more than expanding a road. We are laying the groundwork for a future where our community continues to thrive,” added Ruimy.
D’Eith spoke about the importance of the project to residents, improving a road that’s a direct route to the Golden Ears Provincial Park – the busiest park in the province.
“We have congestion issues here, we hear about it from our local people all the time,” said D’Eith. “This is really going to help with that. It’s going to ease traffic flows for local neighbourhoods, which is really important. That’s going to improve the quality of life for thousands of people in this area.”
He said it will improve access to transit connections including to the coming Langley SkyTrain.
“This project isn’t just about widening a road it’s about connecting community, increasing industry, and moving people around through public transportation,” said D’Eith.
The city’s Strategic Transportation Plan identifies the corridor as a pressing need for both local and inter-municipal traffic as well as providing secondary access to the rapidly developing growth area of Silver Valley that will ultimately house 11,000 residents.