Mountain View County council will be considering contributing to a major Town of Sundre project, which would fix a beaten road in Sundre that is commonly used by county residents.
As county budget discussions get underway, Sundre's 10th Street SW project is one of many road projects administration has added to the list of long-range projects for council to consider.
Dave Hill, director of operational services with the Town of Sundre, said 10th Street SW sits on the border between the town and the county.
It is completely owned by the town, however, he said more than 70 per cent of road users are coming and going from the county.
“It services the industrial subdivision that is within the county area to the west,” said Hill.
The road is a former county range road that has been absorbed within the urban area of Sundre as development took place over the last 50 years.
“In that road allowance and underneath that road there is a fair amount of organic soil that had just pit run dumped on top and every year we'd dump in more gravel and pit run for 50 years,” he explained.
“So what's happened is there's a lot of organic soil that's underneath the foundation of that road that allows for vibration to occur.”
The organic soil is sponge-like, he noted.
“When you drive a big heavy truck over that, despite the fact you've got probably two feet or three feet or five feet of pit run on top of it, it vibrates. And when it vibrates it breaks up the surface.”
The project involves digging out the road and the organic soil, and reconstructing the road foundation, he said. Heavier pavement will be used to upgrade the road for industrial use, and there will be drainage ditches on both sides.
The project is estimated to cost roughly $1,491,000.
Town of Sundre council gave approval in the 2014 capital plan to begin work on the first phase of the project. The first phase extends from Highway 27 to the laneway behind Tim Hortons, which Hill says is the “worst” part and will cost $494,000.
The second phase, which extends from Tim Hortons to 5th Avenue SW, will cost $428,000. The third phase, from 5th Avenue SW to the next intersection south, will cost $569,000.
“This isn't just a pothole fixing job. This is a big deal,” he said.
Residential traffic has increased on the road – which is located between Tim Hortons and Petro Canada – since Tim Hortons opened up last year. But it's the heavy truck traffic that breaks up the road, he said.
The engineering process is underway and construction will begin on the first phase of the project in 2015.
Town officials are hoping to receive provincial grants to help cover the cost, but are also hoping to partner with the county.
County council members had their first look on Sept. 8 at what road projects they will be deliberating on funding in 2015 and beyond .
Some of the projects include paving Twp. Rd. 340 from Rge. Rd. 40 east to the Eagle Hill community hall, base and pave work on Rge. Rd. 20 from Didsbury to Netook Road north of Olds, and road construction of Acme Road from Spreter's Hill to Rocky View County boundary.
