The District of Sooke is moving ahead with a grant application for $500,000 to rebuild a portion of the Charters Corridor.
Councillors voted unanimously to apply for a grant under the provincial Active Transportation program for roadworks along Charters Road between Golledge Avenue and Highway 14.
The town centre works are budgeted for $2 million and include roadwork, streetscape, pedestrian walkways, bicycle lanes, and other upgrades. The work is a critical component for a new traffic-light intersection at Highway 14.
Work will likely begin in 2023.
Sooke will fund $1.5 million of the project from its development cost charge and road paving reserve funds.
“I’m thrilled this is going forward,” said Coun. Tony St-Pierre, who put the motion forward to apply for the grant.
Earlier this year council endorsed a funding application for upgrades and road work for Charters Road near the Throup Stream crossing.
The Charters Corridor is a multi-faceted project that will increase the transportation needs along Charters Road, from Throup Road to Highway 14. It’s expected to ease traffic congestion leading westbound into Sooke.
Based on the latest engineering estimates, the anticipated cost is $7 million, with Sooke taxpayers picking up $1 million of the costs.
The project is in council’s five-year financial plan, with work expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
“We’ve (councillors) all said over the last four years that we have to get our infrastructure back in working order, and this is getting it done,” said Coun. Al Beddows.
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