IDL Projects Inc. has been awarded a $19 million contract for road improvements on a section of Highway 97 at the south end of Quesnel.
Work is slated to start in late August 2021. The project includes widening 1.1 kilometres of Highway 97 and improvements to two key intersections along the eastern approach to the city.
Traffic signals will be installed at the intersection of Highway 97 and Racing Road/Dragon Hill Road to reduce collisions, which are historically high at this intersection. The addition of traffic signals will improve safety for people who regularly drive this route, including commercial truck drivers. It will also provide better access to the local road network and adjacent businesses.
At Highway 97 and Quesnel Hydraulic Road, improvements will make it safer for drivers to turn off and onto the highway. The southbound left-turn lane from Highway 97 onto Quesnel Hydraulic Road will allow more space for vehicles to slow down without impeding highway traffic. Left turns onto the highway southbound will be restricted.
A centre median will be installed along Highway 97 between the two intersections to separate opposing lanes of traffic and to better define the lanes when visibility and weather conditions are poor. New LED streetlights will be installed to provide better visibility. New drainage will remove surface water more efficiently.
Construction is expected to finish in fall 2022.
The B.C. government is contributing $11.3 million to this $19-million project. The Government of Canada is contributing up to $7.7 million through the New Building Canada Fund – Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component – National and Regional Projects.