September 16, 2010
Upgraded 208 St. now open
It took a few months longer than planned, but the City’s 208 Street corridor improvements are pretty much complete.
All that remains to be done following nearly a year of construction is a bit of landscaping and some restoration of properties affected by the improvements, said the City’s CAO Francis Cheung.
On Monday afternoon, Langley City Mayor Peter Fassbender, MLA Mary Polak and MP Mark Warawa officially unveiled the newly upgraded stretch of road between 48 Avenue and Fraser Highway.
The work, carried out by Langley’s TAG Construction, began last October and was scheduled to be complete this past May. However, weather delays, as well as some issues with soil conditions and property negotiations slowed the project and added to the price tag.
The final cost of the work is still being determined, Cheung said.
The project, which was originally intended to replace 50-year-old water and sewer lines along one of the City’s main north-south thoroughfares, was expanded in January, after the provincial and federal governments stepped in with nearly $1.7 million each in infrastructure grants — an amount which was matched by the City.
ICBC, meanwhile, contributed $75,000 toward traffic safety improvements.
With its budget significantly increased, the City opted to install a planted median with double light standards, improve sidewalks, and introduce bike lanes in both directions, along with a six-foot-high concrete noise-buffering fence along the west side of the road.
The speed limit along the widened and freshly paved road will remain at 50 km/h, said Cheung.
He acknowledged it will be tempting for drivers to speed along the flashy new straightaway, but he said the City plans to ask Langley RCMP to increase traffic enforcement in the area for the next while, at least.
