The town of Niverville is splitting the tab with the province on a $17.7-million reconstruction of its Main Street.

The doubling of lanes in the west half of the community, and the addition of a roundabout, is meant to help Manitoba’s fastest-growing town, 30 kilometres south of Winnipeg, handle more people and businesses moving in.

Businesses along three kilometres of Main Street will be dealing with two years of road word, and detours have yet to be worked out. The Niverville Fair, which draws thousands each June, will need to find another place to set up when construction starts.

Construction is targeted for later this year, the province said in a news release.

Mayor Myron Dyck said at Friday’s announcement that town council voted in favour of another 80-acre development and is waiting for the province’s approval.

“Even in the couple of years it’ll take to build this, we will see significant investment in business and in housing. A population that is currently 8,000, in 10 to 15 years time will be closer to [15,000 to 20,000], and we will be Manitoba’s newest city,” he said.

Jette Studios owner Juliette Hagopian opened her 25,000-square-foot film studio in town last year. She said the disruption from the reconstruction is worth it in the long run.

“It gives the opportunity to build other buildings, homes, businesses, because the infrastructure is in place, and the safety on the highway is better — it just means so much,” Hagopian said.

Gordon Daman was mayor from 2002 to 2006, when the town was a lot smaller, and sees the investment as more than pouring asphalt and digging drains.

“Over time, these types of decisions shape something deeper. They shape communities where people don’t just pass through, but where they choose to stay, to invest, and ultimately where they belong,” he said.

The province will transfer responsibility for all improvements on the provincial highway to the town of Niverville when construction is complete. The province will continue to maintain traffic lights.