Rocky View County (RVC) council approved extra funds for road repairs in the County at a regular meeting Sept. 22.
Council unanimously approved a budget adjustment adding $560,000 for pavement preservation.
According to Steve Hulsman, manager of Transportation Services, a particularly severe winter and spring season in early 2020 coupled with the Alberta government’s removal of spring road bans resulted in significant damage to local roads. As a result, the approved 2020 operating budget for pavement preservation was entirely depleted by mid-July.
“Despite efforts to minimize the impact, an additional $560,000 will be required to support outstanding repairs,” Hulsman said.
According to Hulsman, Alberta Transportation enacted a 90-day Ministerial Order March 17 exempting commercial vehicles from road bans in response to COVID-19. Hulsman said the increase in truck weight combined with severe spring thaw caused damage to the County’s roads. Repairs of more than $3 million have already been completed, exhausting the 2020 operating budget. Approximately $1 million of the total damage can be related to the ban exemption, he said.
The funds approved by council were allocated to three projects – 590 square metres (sq m) for a service road on Highway 2 costing $36,000; 11,190 sq m at Mackinnon Flats costing $424,000; and more than 3,800 sq m on Beaupre Creek Road, which will cost $100,000.
Coun. Crystal Kissel, who moved to approve the budget adjustment, said she understood County roads took a “beating” this year.
“I know it has been a tough year for the [transportation] department,” she said. “I appreciate the work that has been done.”
Jordan Stricker, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @Jay_Strickz
