The City of Surrey has taken another step towards the construction of a light rail transit (LRT) line.
On Monday, Surrey city council awarded a $5-million contract to construction firm WestPro to replace the Bear Creek Bridge.
That span, located just south of 88th Avenue on King George Boulevard, was built in the 1930s and is too narrow to accommodate the proposed light rail trains.
The replacement will also include a creek rehabilitation meant to allow freer wildlife movement underneath King George Boulevard.
Construction is slated to begin in January and last about 10 months.
The new bridge is one of the early works projects identified to set the stage for light rail transit in Surrey.
Another early construction project, expanding 100 Avenue to four lanes, was recently completed.
The city says replacing the bridge is a key next step in preparing roads and infrastructure for the 27-kilometre, Surrey-Newton-Guildford line.
A second line, which would connect Surrey City Centre to the City of Langley via the Fraser Highway, has been proposed, but has no timeline or firm funding attached.