Othello Road in Hope is one step closer to being safer.
The road has been deteriorating for years, and many locals have complained about the increasing safety risks along the popular road that leads to a well-visited tourism site.
Now, Trans Mountain and the District of Hope have a funding agreement, in which Trans Mountain will invest $1.6 million into road upgrades there. This will not only make it safer for locals and tourists, but is a necessary upgrade for the pipeline expansion project.
The road has one section of one-lane traffic, which is not feasible for Trans Mountain’s use.
In a news release, Trans Mountain said upgrades are needed to support construction activities in the area. Once completed, two-way traffic can proceed, eliminating the need for single-lane alternating traffic measures to continue.
“Trans Mountain’s top priority is the safety of our workers, their families and our communities, so while these upgrades assist with our construction, they also provide much needed road improvements for safer driving conditions in the community,” said Ian Anderson, President and CEO, Trans Mountain Corporation. “Trans Mountain continues to look for opportunities to provide lasting and meaningful legacies for communities impacted by the construction of our expansion project.”
The upgrades will be made between Kawkawa Lake Road and the Triton Water Canada plant. They will begin in mid-August and wrap up sometime in the fall. There will continue to be single-lane traffic throughout the work period, with a full road closure period near the end of the work.
“This is a great agreement for Trans Mountain and the District of Hope. These road upgrades will assist with future community development and ensure safer roads within our communities” said Mayor Peter Robb, District of Hope. “The District of Hope appreciates Trans Mountain’s contribution to Othello Road and has more repair plans in the works.”
These infrastructure agreements are in addition to local taxes, landowner compensation and a $500,000 Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) with the District of Hope that will go towards funding community projects.
The District of Hope is part of Trans Mountain’s Coquihalla-Hope construction spread that includes approximately 85 kilometres of pipeline construction between the Coquihalla Summit to Popkum. Pipeline construction within the community is expected to begin in late fall 2021.
READ MORE: Hope’s Othello Tunnels fully open to the public
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