Surfacing and managing

Council approves $1.8 million in road resurfacing in 2023

It’s a big hole. Two years ago, the County commissioned another comprehensive road needs study. It found that about half of the asphalt roads and nearly 60 per cent of the surface-treated roads, about 482 kilometres in total, require some preservation, rehabilitation, or reconstruction work. It added up to hundreds of millions of dollars to be spent over the next ten years. Money the County doesn’t have. It currently spends less than $10 million each year chasing the decay of its crumbling road network.

In a move some may see as equivalent to spitting on a forest fire, council approved $1.8 million on surface treatment this year. The bids came in at about $670,000 under budget—resulting in about $200,000 of free roads cash, according to Shire Hall’s calculations. It would prove to be red meat around the council table.

That tenders came back under budget, however, came as a relief to many around the horseshoe who have grown accustomed to spiralling and unpredictable costs.

I hope Council understands that this is really a good news story,” said South Marysburgh councillor John Hirsch. “Taken as a whole, all of these tender awards that are being proposed for our roadwork came in under budget, which tells me that perhaps the COVID inflationary trend has turned over, and we are able to get better pricing.”

But questions remained. North Marysburgh councillor David Harrison worried that County dollars weren’t going very far. He noted that one type of surfacing treatment—micro surfacing—was costing $760,000 for 11.3 kilometres.

“It seems like not much road for a lot of money,” said Harrison.

Adam Goheen, County roads manager, said micro surfacing is a cost-effective way to extend the life of an asphalt road.

“It is expensive,” said Goheen, “but it really is an intervention technique that preserves the roadway and delays the ultimate reconstruction.”

But the conversation soon veered away from costs and toward how to spend the unused roads cash.

Councillor Hirsch proposed adding $100,000 to gravel road maintenance.

“The Director has told me that he can certainly use some more money and would have the staff available to use it in the gravel road top-up program,” said Hirsch.

That didn’t fly with Ameliasburgh councillor Janice Maynard, who lobbied for more spot repairs.

“I don’t want to see those roads, that we thought a year ago we could salvage and keep in good shape, are now bad enough shape that they don’t qualify,” said Maynard.

Hirsch proposed a compromise, splitting $100,000—half for gravel roads, half for spot repair.

Suddenly other council members remembered road work in their ward.

Councillor Phil Prinzen jumped in to head off a feeding frenzy.

“I understand what Councillor Hirsch is trying to do,” said Prinzen, “ but if we keep going down this road, there is going to be 13 different amendments going around the table,” he said.

Hirsch’s motion failed.
Undeterred, Councillor Maynard pushed for all the unspent surfacing dollars to be directed to spot repair.

While grateful for the money, Goheen explained that the current spot repair budget was a function of staff resources and capacity.

“We must be very cautious of not biting off more than we can chew,” said Goheen.

Maynard withdrew her motion. The unspent money remained unspent. It will be deposited into the County’s roads reserve to be spent another day.