Motorists who use Prest Road can anticipate traffic tie-ups as road widening gets underway in Chilliwack this summer.
City of Chilliwack released a construction timeline for the upgrade of Prest Road from Highway 1 to McGuire Road, with a full road closure set for June 21 to Sept 3, between Prairie Central and McGuire.
The complete road closure is needed for the bridge removal and construction of a wider concrete bridge structure over Semiault Creek.
It will be local traffic only to nearby homes and farms once the road is closed, and it will be “impassable,” with motorists asked to use alternate routes, like Chilliwack River Road, the notice said.
The $1.3 million Prest Road upgrade with just under two kilometres of road widening fits within the larger five-project package of road works approved in 2019 by council in the amount of $15.6 million.
Road widening and paving of Prest will be underway June 7 to June 18, from the highway to Prairie Central Road, with single-lane alternating traffic from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“Please anticipate delays,” according to the city notice.
The Prest Road upgrade will see road widening in order to provide sufficient lane width, bike lanes, shoulders, replacement of Semiault Creek Bridge, along with the relocation of BC Hydro poles.
In order to manage the increased traffic on Chilliwack River Road the following measures will be installed for the duration of the Prest Road closure:
• Prairie Central/Chilliwack River Roads convert to three-way stop (flagger controlled light during peak hours when necessary); and
• Stevenson/Chilliwack River Roads left-turns from eastbound to northbound will be restricted from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
READ MORE: Road works to tackle choke points in Chilliwack
READ MORE: Five projects in one
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