Langley Township staff are asking suppliers to estimate the price of replacing two damaged culverts that forced the shutdown of 40 Avenue, between 212 and 216 Streets in Langley, which was undermined by torrential rain from the first atmospheric river of the season.
In response to a question by the Langley Advance Times, an unsigned statement by the Township confirmed suppliers were being asked to estimate the cost of manufacturing twin concrete box replacements.
"Our aim is to have funding, materials, and plans in place to expedite the repair when weather allows starting in the spring of 2025," the statement said.
"In support of that, the Township is reaching out to potential suppliers now to inquire about availability and to receive prices for our budgeting needs. No purchase orders have been issued at this time."
Work is projected to take four to five months to complete, meaning the road won't reopen until the summer, indicated Mayor Eric Woodward.
A previous Township statement said with heavy fall and winter rain, replacement work must wait until the flows in the creek are "manageable, which is typically in the spring."
Damage was described as a culvert failure causing "the deformation of both pipes, sinkholes, and settlement of the sidewalk, road, and retaining wall on the southern end directly over the culvert inlet."
The same stretch of road was damaged by a 2021 atmospheric river that created a sinkhole.
In 2023, Township staff estimated the cost of replacing the 1978-era metal culverts that carry Murray Creek under the road at $4.75 million – that was according to an application for provincial disaster assistance funding that was turned down.
Woodward said the Township has filed an appeal.
"If the grant is rejected again, a funding source will need to be found at the expense of other projects," the mayor has warned.
