While it still depends on the provincial government committing to four-laning PTH 32 through Winkler in 2019, progress continues in preparing for the project.

Manitoba Infrastructure has an established budget for this fiscal year ending in March of 2019 to relocate utilities for the future widening of PTH 32.

Manitoba Infrastructure will also be removing trees in October along the east right of way to accommodate the new pole line.

Manitoba Hydro is planning to begin moving their existing pole line along the east side of PTH 32 into the purchased land area at the beginning of November 2018. New traffic signal locations have also been added to the drawings at Mountain Ave and at Cargill Road.

The Manitoba Hydro and Bell MTS utility relocations have also been added to the design drawings.

"Progress is being made and we're very optimistic," Mayor Martin Harder says.

The road and drainage design has also been completed by the City of Winkler and submitted to Manitoba Infrastructure for final approval.

The twinning of PTH 32 has long been on the city's wish list.

In 2010 a joint study between the Province and the City put the price tag at nearly $23 million to four-lane the provincial trunk highway from the intersection of Pembina Ave to highway 3.

New traffic lights went live at the intersection of Pembina Ave and PTH 32 in late 2016, setting the stage for twinning the highway through Winkler.