City of Chilliwack to spend over $7 million to upgrade, widen Watson Road between Tyson and Vedder

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Map of project area. (Image Credit: City of Chilliwack.)

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The multi-use pathway will connect to the multi-use facilities completed on Tyson Road in 2025, creating a continuous active transportation corridor. The city says this connection will also provide more direct and improved access to Watson Elementary School, as well as to transit stops along the corridor.

As part of the planned improvements, both the existing south side sidewalk and new north side multi-use pathway will be separated from the vehicle travel lanes by a barrier curb and a landscaped boulevard, including street trees to enhance safety and streetscape quality.

The city’s engineering department has sought to deliver transportation improvements and sanitary utility upgrades as a single, integrated project to optimize efficiency, reduce overall costs and lessen disruption to the surrounding neighbourhood.

The sanitary improvements include extending the existing force main by approximately 455 meters from Watson Elementary along Watson Road to connect with the Miller Drive gravity main, as well as upgrading sections of the existing gravity system to enhance reliability and accommodate future growth.

As part of the design-build proposal, B&B Heavy Civil Construction’s submission included a detailed plan to coordinate with BC Hydro, Telus and Shaw for the necessary relocation of utilities. Third-party utility providers will not initiate their detailed design until they receive 100 per cent road design drawings from the selected lead proponent, which is B&B. Upon completion of the utility design, cost estimates for the required works will be obtained. The city says contract negotiations were undertaken with the preferred proponent in accordance with the Request for Proposals (Instructions to Proponents, section 1.5.7). These discussions served to clarify elements of work, including asphalt works, road geometry and pavement markings, and the scope associated with transit stops and crosswalk improvements. As a result of these negotiations, the contract value has increased by a net amount of $73,400, upping the total contract price to $7,562,200.

Substantial completion of the project is anticipated by December 31, 2026.