Sapporo proposed on Monday an additional supplementary budget of ¥700 million ($6.5 million) to its city assembly for road repair expenses, in preparation for the 2020 Olympic marathon and race walk events that were confirmed last month to be relocated to the city from Tokyo.
The city, which assessed that 8.7 km of the 10.7-km portion of event routes under its jurisdiction will require repairs, is aiming to complete the roadwork by the end of next May.
Only the first 20-km lap of the marathon course has been confirmed so far by the International Olympic Committee. Organizers plan to decide on routes for subsequent laps by the middle of December.
The IOC executive board agreed last Wednesday that the race walking event will make a round trip up and down the boulevard between Odori Park and Sapporo Station.
The assembly's construction committee plans to commence repairs for roads related to Olympic events in early March, aiming to have repairs completed in time for the final inspection of the courses in June by World Athletics, the world governing body for track and field athletics.
An overlay construction method will be used to smooth out and repave the road surface, following requests from organizers that cracks be repaired to prevent athletes from injuring themselves or tripping, the city said.