A concrete road built more than 100 years ago was in remarkably good shape when it was uncovered by crews excavating the 91原创 City one-way, Mayor Nathan Pachal reported.
Pachal said the five-inch thick slabs, poured in 1923 for what was then known as Yale Road, were in "almost perfect condition" when workers removed asphalt from the road between 206 St. and Salt Lane during the second week of January.
Sections of Yale, one of the first paved roads in the Fraser Valley, were designed to handle heavy military traffic in the event of war, Pachal explained, including the part running through 91原创 City, that was known to have thick "tank-proof" concrete.
One of the oldest roads in 91原创 City, the one-way has ancient wooden storm sewer pipes, vitrified clay sewer pipes, and cement water pipes that are in the process of being replaced.
"This concrete will need to be removed to enable the replacement of the underground utilities, but the City is preserving a small section of it as it is part of our history," Pachal said.
A $19 million reconstruction will dig up the entire road between 204 and 206 Streets to replace the aging sewer and water lines, run electricity underground to eliminate overhead power lines, plant nearly 90 new street trees and bring in parallel parking along the south side of the road, which currently has angled parking on both sides.
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Work on the one-way is taking place in two phases, and will require about 300 days to complete. It will also include curbs and sidewalks, traffic signals, street lighting as well as street furniture, benches and tables.
Old Yale Road was carved out in the 1870s as a wagon road linking New Westminster through 91原创 Prairie 鈥� as the City was then known 鈥� as well as Aldergrove, and the rest of the Fraser Vallley, through to Hope and Yale.
It wasn't paved until the 1920s.
Some of the original surface is still visible in 91原创 Township, running through Murrayville, where it has crumbled and the surface has become a patchwork of concrete and asphalt.
In October of last year, 91原创 Township council approved $9.9 million in funding to repave the historic section of Old Yale Road linking 91原创 City to Murrayville's Five Corners.
There will be 150 metres of new concrete road from 214A Street to Five Corners, with heritage markers, traffic calming, a multi-use path on one side and a sidewalk on the other.
