Engineering and Public Works, Lands and Park Services manager Scott Quinn said the amount council approved matches this year’s “offer sheet” from the provincial Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (DTIR) for the resurfacing of so-called J-class roads.
The offer sheet approved fewer roads than the municipality submitted. Only 0.89 km of streets have been approved for 2017, to be cost shared fifty-fifty between the province and municipality.
“Three of the four roads are to be resurfaced due to the North Greenwood water project,” Quinn said.
These include 0.06 km of Wade Street from Route 201 to Kenwood, 0.09 km of William Street from Glengary Row to Tufts Avenue and 0.41 km of Aldred Drive from Bridge Street to Tufts Avenue. The fourth street, 0.33 km of Neily Crescent from Aldred Drive to Bridge Street, was part of a separate water project completed a couple of years ago.
The total cost estimate of the paving projects totals $136,000, with the municipality’s share being $68,000.
The municipality’s submission to the province for this year requested projects totalling $600,000. The municipality would have paid half.
Quinn presented a staff report to Kings County council at the June 6 session. He reported that Wade Street, William Street and Aldred Drive were originally approved by DTIR for resurfacing in 2016 but were deferred since the North Greenwood water extension project couldn’t be completed in time.
Council authorized Mayor Peter Muttart to sign the notice of acceptance from the province.
There were three other streets affected by the North Greenwood water project. Quinn said that unless there was a change in the DTIR offer letter, these streets would have to go “back into the mix” for 2018-2019.
Coun. Brian Hirtle once again drew attention to Foleaze Park in Brow of Mountain. He said there hasn’t been any maintenance there for 40 years. Hirtle said the streets present a safety issue but because they didn’t meet criteria, they didn’t make it on a priority list. Mayor Peter Muttart said there would be a policy review.
“There’s no question the condition of the roads is deplorable,” Muttart said. “Every councillor has terrible roads in their districts. We will be addressing the J-class road issue very soon.”
Chief administrative officer Rick Ramsey said that five rural municipalities had raised the issue of J-class roads in the past two weeks.
“It is of provincial interest and there will be a debate,” Ramsey said.
Coun. Pauline Raven said the municipality’s list for this year had the same integrity as in previous years. She asked why the province had “so drastically” reduced the J-class budget.
Quinn said it’s not unusual to have fluctuation and there have been years when the municipality “didn’t have any roads going forward.”
Did you know?
- The municipality and DTIR entered into a cost sharing agreement in 2014 for resurfacing J-class roads.
- Under the agreement, the municipality can submit an updated priority list each year. Once paved, roads become the full responsibility of DTIR in terms of future resurfacing.
- The municipality and DTIR agreed on methodology for preparing priority lists in 2013, based primarily on technical considerations, including surface grade.
- Last fall, Quinn reported that municipal staff has developed a set of long-term priority lists “to confirm the general sequence to complete the remaining roads eligible for paving” until 2022.
- There are about 14.8 km of J-class roads eligible for upgrading to an asphalt surface remaining and about 5.2 km eligible for chip sealing. Municipal funding is subject to annual budgetary approval by council.
