A new section of Lansdowne Road was opened to traffic on Friday, providing a key, east-west transportation corridor through Richmond’s busy City Centre.
The extension was officially opened by Mayor Malcolm Brodie and Joe Peschisolido, MP for Steveston-Richmond East, on behalf of the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport.
The new extension is 0.3 kilometres in length, running from Minoru Boulevard to Alderbridge Way and now allows traffic to travel along Lansdowne all the way from Garden City Road to Hollybridge Way, completely bisecting Richmond’s City Centre.
The roadway will be further upgraded to full four-lane status as the surrounding neighbourhood continues to redevelop.
“The Government of Canada is pleased to partner with the City of Richmond in support of projects that reduce travel delays, provide improved truck access to regional and provincial highway systems, and foster economic growth,” said Peschisolido in a press release.
“Projects like these help make communities like Richmond, among the best places in the world to live, work and raise a family.”
Brodie, meanwhile, said the route would be an “important boost to local mobility.
“It provides an important alternative for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians and helps to reduce traffic congestion,” Brodie added.
“Since Richmond is an important centre for international trade, improving how people and goods move throughout our city will also support continued local, regional and national economic growth.”
The federal government provided $4.95 million to support the Lansdowne Road project, as well as upgrades to No. 2 Road, as part of the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Transportation Infrastructure Fund. The City of Richmond has kicked in more than $5 million in support of these projects.
The contiguous, new east-west corridor is a key element in Richmond’s City Centre Ring Road Network, which envisions a complete series of east-west and north-south connector routes to take pressure off of the main thoroughfares of Westminster Highway and No. 3 Road.
The Ring Road Network is being constructed incrementally as the City Centre redevelops. For more information on the City Centre Transportation Plan visit Richmond.ca/plandev/planning/citycentre.
