Maple Ridge council is set to award a contract of almost $8.5 million for improvements on Abernethy Way.
The phased project will ultimately see a four-lane, east-west route across Maple Ridge from 256th to 210th Streets and Golden Ears Way.
Council reviewed the contract for Abernethy Way road improvements, upgrading from 224th Street to 230th Street, with widening to four lanes. The matter will be forwarded to council’s Jan. 30 meeting for final approval.
Council reviewed a staff report recommending the contract for $8.48 million, with a $1.5 million contingency, be awarded to Lafarge Canada. Staff noted that Lafarge had the lowest bid out of nine companies, and it came in below the $11 million projected cost of the latest phase.
That’s a result of the competitive bid process, as well as the timing of the tender, when contractors are looking to secure large projects for the year ahead, staff explained.
The key crosstown route is already four lanes from 210th to 224th, and from 230th to 232nd Streets – a stretch which was widened last year.
With this latest work completed, there will be four lanes from 210th to 232nd. Construction would begin this winter and end in the spring of 2025.
In addition to widening, the improvements will include intersection upgrades at 227th, 228th, and 230th Streets, with left-turn bays. There will also be a multi-use path on the north side of the road, improved lighting, and a boulevard with natural features.
The staff report noted that the Abernethy Way corridor is a major municipal road, and one of three primary east-west transportation corridors, along with Dewdney Trunk Road and the Lougheed Highway.
Future phases will see the route extended from 232nd to 240th Streets, which is in design and scheduled for construction in 2025.
A final phase will extend the route from 240th to 256th Streets.
The latest contract will be forwarded to council’s Jan. 30 meeting for final approval.
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