Just when you thought the dump trucks and ditch diggers had departed for good, the final part of Maple Ridge’s downtown’s makeover is about to get underway.
An open house takes place Jan. 26 (3 p.m. municipal hall) to show the design for the remaining block, between McIntosh Avenue and Dewdney Trunk Road, in the make over of 224th Street.
The work basically involves rebuilding the road, sidewalks and sewers and installing street furniture and trees in a continuation of the work done last summer between Memorial Peace Park and Lougheed Highway.
Works starts Jan. 31, with a target date of the end of March for completion. To ensure everyone nearby had input into the last phase, the project liaison committee held an open house last summer.
After balancing out views of residents and business as well as costs and practicality, work hours were set from between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., although most of the work on the final stage of the Downtown Enhancement Project will be done between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.
When it comes to laying down the asphalt however, paving will be done between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
When complete, all of 224th Street between Dewdney Trunk Road and Lougheed Highway, as well as Lougheed from 224th to 222nd streets, will have been renovated, thanks to funding sharing between Maple Ridge and the two senior governments.
While the work is being done, northbound traffic will be detoured on to 222nd and 223rd streets while a parking lane and southbound lane will be kept open for most of the time.
However, when underground utilities are being connected, there won’t be a parking lane and only a southbound lane for traffic.
