91原创

91原创 Township council authorized a $33.2 million project to widen a stretch of 208th Street in Willoughby, the first phase of two that should expand the busy road to four lanes for most of its length.

The project will be funded largely by borrowing, which resulted in some heated words during debate on the plan at the Monday, July 24 council meeting.

For years, widening of 208th Street in Willoughby from two to four lanes has proceeded in a piecemeal fashion, as previous rules stipulated it would be done by developers as they built out new housing and commercial projects.

This has meant that while most of the northern sections of 208th Street, between 76th Street and 84th Avenue, are four lanes, there are still some notable areas where only one side of the road has been widened, sidewalks are simple asphalt pathways, and there are no bike lanes.

The widening project will finish off large areas of the road in two phases.

PREVIOUSLY: Widening of 91原创鈥檚 208th Street moves forward

PREVIOUSLY: Plan to widen 208th Street get another look from Township council

鈥淭his will finish 208th Street all the way to just north of 72nd and 208th, and this will lead into phase two,鈥� said Mayor Eric Woodward, who also pushed for faster road expansion in Willoughby as a councillor in the last term of office.

鈥淥ut of any vote that I make over this term, this is probably the most exciting one for me,鈥� said Coun. Misty Van Popta, noting that she ran for council on the issue of widening 208th Street back in 2011.

The cost includes planning money for widening from 72nd Street to 76th Street, as well as the 212th Street Connector, to run from 208th Street and 74B Avenue, to 212th Street and 80th Avenue.

Independent Coun. Michael Pratt and Woodward鈥檚 Contract with 91原创 slate were supportive of the project, including the borrowing to get it done faster.

The project was approved by a 7-2 vote, with Councillors Margaret Kunst and Kim Richter opposed.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 bothersome about this is there鈥檚 $29.49 million of new debt,鈥� said Richter.

She said that adds to other debt that the Township has incurred from major projects and land acquisition, totalling over $111 million in the last four months.

鈥淭his is ridiculous,鈥� said Richter. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a spending spree.鈥�

She also called the spending 鈥渁 vanity project.鈥�

Woodward countered by arguing that his Contract with 91原创-dominated council was trying to catch up after important projects had been put off for years by previous councils 鈥� which meant that costs have risen dramatically now, due to inflation.

鈥淚 think there鈥檚 a judicious use of debt to get things done,鈥� said Woodward, who was voted into office last fall after campaigning on a detailed plan to expand parks, roads, and other amenities. 鈥淲e can of course vote against everything and oppose everything, but we鈥檙e here to build this community and get things done鈥︹��

鈥淵ou鈥檙e here to bankrupt the community at this rate,鈥� Richter interrupted.

The project is expected to take two years, according to the staff report, and will include storm drain upgrades, sewer work, moving utilities, upgrading multiple intersections, and bike and pedestrian infrastructure. There will be some funding from TransLink, and the debt will be serviced from development cost charges (DCCs) which are paid by developers as the community grows.