Image: City of Chilliwack / Motorists who frequently travel throughout Sardis will inevitably notice the amount of public works improvement projects happening on three major thoroughfares south of Highway 1. One of those projects is Lickman Road where a city contractor has begun paving and widening the road. Bike lanes will be added to this stretch of Lickman Road. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

City paving, widening Lickman Road

City of Chilliwack improving Lickman Road, 1 of 3 major city projects happening now

Mar 11, 2024 | 9:04 AM

CHILLIWACK — Motorists who frequently travel throughout Sardis will inevitably notice the amount of public works improvement projects happening on three major thoroughfares south of Highway 1.

Those three primary arterials include Tyson Road between Watson Road and Stevenson Road, Keith Wilson Road near Garrison, and Lickman Road between École La Vérendrye and Chevron near Heritage Park. Traffic flagging personnel have been present on all three roads the past week and are out this week amid ongoing public works projects.

The City of Chilliwack says its contractor has begun paving and road widening on Lickman Road. The city’s contractor, who is not publicly identified, will pave Lickman as part of its annual asphalt rehabilitation program. Lickman Road will not only have the road paved, it will be widened and bike lanes will be added.

While the Lickman Road paving project is certainly a welcome improvement, the Tyson Road project is equally important because it hasn’t had sidewalks on either side of it between Watson Road and South Sumas Road, even though there are B.C. Transit bus stops on either side of Tyson Road.

Construction activities for Tyson Road consist of the following:

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• Curb installation and multi-use pathways on both sides of Tyson Road
• A signalized intersection upgrade/widening at South Sumas Road
• 1,270 metres of road widening/reconstruction
• Drainage works
• Paving
• Streetlighting
• Street trees

The city estimates that completion of the overall Tyson Road project could wrap up by March 2025. Multi-use pathways will be located behind the curb, away from the travel lane section of the roadway.

Part of the Tyson Road project will be funded by $500,000 from the B.C. Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants program. The provincial grant typically covers things like multi-use protected travel lanes, pedestrian and cycling safety improvements, and lighting and way finding for up to two-shovel ready projects, according to a staff report.

Keith Wilson Road will undergo similar improvements in a stretch of road between Hipwell Place, near Canadian Forces Base Chilliwack, and Garrison Boulevard. These public works improvement consist of the following:

• Sidewalk and bike lanes on the north side and a multi-use pathway on the south side
• Approximately 730 metres of road widening/reconstruction
• Drainage works
• Paving
• Street trees
• Curb installation
• Road geometry improvements to reduce westbound traffic entering the roundabout