MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - County council will undertake nearly 500 kilometres of road re-gravelling projects in 2023 under the projects budget recently approved by council.
Operational services annual capital projects for the new year covers road repairs and upgrades, as well as work on some of the more than 200 bridges in the municipality. Gravel pit reclamation work and equipment replacement is also included.
The projects are being funded through a variety of sources, including general revenue and grants.
According to the 2023 annual capital road project sheet, $5.8 million will be spent on various projects.
“These projects focus on maintaining and enhancing county road infrastructure and are based on council-approved service levels,” chief administrative officer Jeff Holmes said in a briefing note to council.
“The annual road programs include re-chipping, base stabilization, re-gravel program, asphalt long patching, and subdivision chip program.”
Costs include $1.9 million for re-gravel, $1.9 for re-chipping, $1.2 million for base stabilization, $600,000 for asphalt long patching, and $200,000 for subdivision chipping.
Operational services will re-gravel about 488 kilometres of roads in 2023 based on a spread of 222 tonnes per kilometre and an average road width of eight metres.
The department will re-chip 121.6 kilometres of roadway in 2023.
A total of $455,000 will be spent on reclamation of the White pit (NW 32-32-2-5) and pit cleanup/progressive reclamation of the Winchell pit (NW 4-29-5-5).
The Township 292 overlay project budget is $1.2 million.
“Township 292, between Highway 791 and Rge. Rd. 284, is an asphalt road that has reached the end of its service life. In order to maintain the road, an asphalt overlay is required on this 4.8 kilometre road. The project is included in the CLIP long-range plan.”
The Range Road 45 Hill Cut project budget is $400,000.
“Requested by local area residents and supported by numerous complaints to improved the visibility of Range Road 45 north of Highway 579. The mixture of large agricultural traffic and light vehicles on this narrow road presents safety concerns. This hill cut will require detailed engineering and some utilities will have to be relocated.”
“The 2013 local road management study noted that the geometrics of the steep hill is a safety concern. Operations responded to this concern with signage to alert motorists of the steep hill. Other signage has been added since 2013 including narrow road (sign).”
At a special council meeting in November, council directed administration to proceed with the Range Road 45 Hill Cut in the 2023 project budget.
A total of $110,000 will be spend on county shop gates, which will involve the installation of electric gates at Bergen, Eagle Hill and Carstairs shops.
“Electric gates were installed at Olds, Didsbury, Luft Pit, and Cremona shops in 2014. The goal with this project is to have all our gates in this system. The new system allows us to keep the gates shut at all time, but still controls access remotely while increasing our security at the shops.”
According to the 2023 annual capital bridge project sheet, $5.3 million is proposed to be spent on various bridge projects.
“While the budget is allocated on a bridge by bridge basis, we anticipate variances from budget and any surplus funding with the capital bridge program may be applied towards over budget spending as long as the total program does not exceed a budget of $5.18 million.”
Bridge projects include culvert replacement on tributary of the Lonepine Creek near Olds, bridge replacement on Dogpound Creek near Carstairs, bridge replacement on Rosebud River near Didsbury, culvert replacement on Longpine Creek near Olds, and deck replacement on Little Red Deer River northwest of Olds.
The 2023 equipment replacement program totals $2.5 million, and includes replacement of two graders, several pickup trucks, two dump trailers, and two mowing tractors.
The first council meeting of 2023 is scheduled for Jan. 11 in person in council chambers and on Zoom.
