Work will begin this month on improvements to Highway 97 at the south end of Quesnel.
A contract has been awarded to IDL Projects.
The project involves widening a 1.1 kilometre stretch of the Highway and improvements to two key intersections.
Traffic signals will be installed at the intersection of Highway 97 and Racing Road and Dragon Hill Road.
There will also be changes at Highway 97 and Quesnel Hydraulic Road to make it safer to turn off and onto the highway.
The southbound left-turn lane from the highway onto Quesnel Hydraulic Road will allow more space for vehicles to slow down without impeding traffic, and left turns onto the highway will be restricted.
A centre median will also be installed along Highway 97 between the two intersections to separate opposing lanes of traffic.
Finally, new LED streetlights will be installed to provide better visibility, and new drainage will remove surface water more efficiently.
Construction is expected to be completed in the fall of 2022.
The total cost of the project is 19 million dollars.
11.3 million of that will be paid for by the provincial government and 7.7 million will come out of the Federal Government’s New Building Canada Fund.