The more than $6-million project to reconstruct and widen High Falls Road to create two designated bicycle lanes was endorsed by district council Monday night. The bicycle lanes, which represent about $450,000 of the redevelopment’s cost, are hoped to promote more active transportation or healthier, greener modes of transport along the scenic route.

While the project has been criticized for both its cost and location, during Monday’s meeting, several councillors expressed their support for what will be Muskoka’s first project of the kind.

Bracebridge councillor Scott Young noted the new bicycle lanes will connect Manitoba Street to Highway 11. The lanes will also connect to the Trans Canada Trail, he said.

“It actually makes quite a convenient loop,” Young said. “I think this (project) makes a lot of sense and has a lot of merit.”

During a meeting of Muskoka’s engineering and public works committee earlier this month, several councillors suggested rethinking the location of the new trails. Some felt High Falls Road is not a high-traffic area, and would not attract enough users to make the project worthwhile.

Lake of Bays councillor Margaret Casey, however, said she believes many in the community are eagerly awaiting the project’s completion.

“I know of both teens and adults who would utilize this as a true active transportation corridor,” Casey said during Monday’s meeting.

Still, Gravenhurst councillor Mark Clairmont noted the High Falls Road redevelopment will use Muskoka’s entire active transportation fund for the next two years. The municipality set aside a total of $200,000 for active transportation both this year and last year.

Clairmont wondered why the Bracebridge project would proceed “at the expense of other active transportation projects in other municipalities.”

Young, however, said he believes the High Falls Road work will not just benefit the town of Bracebridge.

“I see this as benefiting all of Muskoka,” said Young, noting that Muskoka’s active transportation strategy was initially planned to be district-wide. “If we all committed to this (strategy), we should be committed to doing these (projects) all over Muskoka.”

Construction on High Falls Road could start as early as this fall, indicated Tony White, Muskoka’s commissioner of engineering and public works.a