Residents on Cariboo Trail are finally going to get a sidewalk.

Bree Contracting Ltd. has started work on the $1-million project, which will run from Horse Lake Road to Jens Street on the east side of the street. Last week, workers were busy installing catch basins to allow for storm and water collection before making preparations to pour the concrete along the whole length of the road.

If all goes to plan, the sidewalk itself and work on the street lights should be completed by September.

Mayor Mitch Campsall said he was happy to see the project underway, noting that the funding did take some time to “get into our pockets.”

He said that, while important to the community, sidewalk projects are a bit more complicated than some may think.

“The biggest problem with sidewalks is they need drainage put in underneath, the water has to flow somewhere,” Campsall said. “It’s not just a matter of pouring a slab of concrete.”

The sidewalk has long been a priority for the 100 Mile District Council, which approved the tender to Bree Contracting last July. The project has received grant funding from various sources, including the province’s Active Transportation Grant, which supports more accessible outdoor pursuits such as biking, walking, rolling, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

READ MORE: Cariboo Trail sidewalk project awarded to Bree Contracting Ltd. at $1,038,450

Bree Contracting’s owner Trevor Embree said the project will make Cariboo Trail safer for the public. In addition to providing a sidewalk for pedestrians, the design of the curb is intended to force traffic to slow down as it will effectively make some portions of the road narrower while still including wider sections for parking and pullouts.

He noted this is a widely used strategy in traffic management, often used in conjunction with speed bumps. The speed limit on Cariboo Trail is already 30 km/hr. Supplemental lighting will also be installed to make the road better lit overall.

“We’ll be repaving a lot of the road as well. There’s a lot of fixing some of the rougher sections of the road to the south end we’ll be repairing and replacing,” Embree said.

Workers are keeping the residents of the area informed of their activities as the project progresses.

patrick.davies@100milefreepress.netLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.