Waterloo approves extra $900,000 for King Street streetscape project

The City of Waterloo has approved an extra $900,000 for streetscape and reconstruction of a portion of King Street.

It brings the city's share of the project to $6.7 million, up from $5.8 million.

The funding is going to improve the streetscape onKing Street, from just north of Uptown Waterloo Squareup to Elgin Street, and on Erb Street from 70 metres east of Caroline to King Street.

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The project is being done in partnership with the region, which is funding $4.3 million. Work is expected to start later this spring.

The work involves replacing underground municipal services, roadway and parking spaces and streetscape improvements.

The improvementswill include wider sidewalks, trees, decorative street lighting and safe cycling infrastructure.

The region awarded the contract to Clearway Construction Inc. of Concord, Ont.

Coun. Melissa Durrell said she wanted to make sure workers understood the importance of completing the reconstruction on time.

"One of the most difficult things for uptown over the last (year)was seeing so many construction vehicles sitting idle during that long route," she said.

"Do we know if there's a corduroy road under there?" she asked about that more northerly section of King Street. Durrell was told crews know there is "something" under the road, but they won't know for sure if it is a corduroy road until it is dug up.

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Last spring, LRT construction was delayed for weeks after an old corduroy road was foundunder King Street between William Street and Erb.