Stretch of Trans-Canada Highway in Langley to be expanded to 6 lanes

The B.C. government has pledged $113 million for phase two of a project to twin the Trans-Canada highwayinLangley.

It says that will be the province's share of the project to expand an eight-kilometre section of the highway to six lanes from 216th Street to 264th Street.

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Transportation Minister Todd Stone says the widening project will improve safety and reduce gridlock on the main east-west link connecting Greater Vancouver to several Fraser Valley communities, including Abbotsford, Aldergrove and Langley.

The province is seeking funding from the federal government andLangleyto provide the rest of the $235.5-million cost of the project, with design work due to start in the fall.

Plan is to widen highway to Whatcom Road

At an event announcing the funding Tuesday, MLA Rich Coleman saidthe plan is to eventuallywidenthe highway all the way toWhatcomRoad inAbbotsford.

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The further expansion toward Abbotsfordis welcomenews for Mayor Henry Braun who says businesses in his city frequently complain gridlock costs them, because they can't move their products.

"There's been congestion on this freeway, Ithink, for the last 10 years," he said. "It's going to move goods and services much faster."

Braun says he usually does his best to avoid the highway, even taking back roadsto get to Tuesday's announcement.

With files from Jesse Johnston