Married at last.
At Minoru Boulevard, just north of Westminster Highway, is Ackroyd Road to the east and Elmbridge Way to the west, following the opening of a new portion of Ackroyd adjacent to the City Centre Community Centre.
The new route is part of what transportation planners call a “ring road” network that surrounds City Centre.
The new link connecting Elmbridge and Ackroyd creates a continuous 2.2-kilometre route from Westminster Highway to Arcadia Road, allowing some traffic to be diverted away from the City Centre’s main intersection of Westminster Highway and No. 3 Road.
The new road is located on the site of an old car dealership and was paid for by development charges.
According to the City of Richmond, the road opening was delayed due to “deficiencies,” such as inadequate signage and traffic signals, made by the developer’s contractor.
“While some may seem relatively minor, many do impact on pedestrian and motorist safety and the city must ensure they are dealt with before allowing the road to open,” said city spokesperson Ted Townsend.
Other new City Centre road improvements expected to come online this year include the Lansdowne Road extension, which includes a new multi-use path for cyclists and pedestrians on the north side, between Alderbridge Way and Minoru Boulevard.
Meanwhile, River Road will be widened to four lanes between Hollybridge Way and Gilbert Road, in one or two years’ time, according to the city.
One can also expect roadwork on Gilbert, just south of the Dinsmore Bridge to be done by the end of this year.
