More than $3 million worth of infrastructure improvements is set to get underway in Olds including upgrades to the much complained about 57 Ave.
Olds town council approved a $3,086,749 contract to Rubydale Ashalt Works in infrastructure improvements for 2011 at the body's regular council meeting on April 26.
Mayor Judy Dahl said she thought it was important to note to county residents that $840,000 will be spent on upgrading 57 Avenue near the town limits. Dahl said people have been waiting for upgrades there for a long time, noting it has been an issue for at least the 20 years she has been a town resident.
“We've been waiting a long time. The past council … did do work on 57 Avenue but it's time that this is getting re-done,” she said.
Larry Wright, the town's director of operations, said the objective on 57 Avenue is to put asphalt down and make the road as wide as other roads in town, put in curbs, improve drainage and put in a temporary trail on the east side of the road.
Wright said the trick with putting in a trail there now is to make it passable for pedestrians without spending a lot of money prior to development taking place there.
“When we get further south … then we're going to go to a surface seal for the existing roadway to carry us through while (the) Liberty Lands project is being developed. We know it's not a long-term (solution) but it's meant to carry us through while the developers and all the industry is forming up in there,” he said, adding he expects the road surface to last about five years.
The work also includes $45,000 for upgrading 57 Avenue north of Hwy. 27, $45,000 for 300 metres of overlay on 57 Avenue south of Hwy. 27, and $750,000 for upgrades on 57 Avenue between 58 and 60 street.
The list of improvements also includes $300,000 for 900 metres of improvements on 70 Avenue south of Highway 27 near the Holy Trinity School.
The work includes $1.8 million for 50 Avenue water and sewer upgrades as well as repaving stretches of that road.
Other projects that will be completed this year include $387,000 for water main replacement, $116,000 for water service replacement and $113,000 for water valve replacement. The town plans to spend $346,500 on sanitary water collection main replacement, $50,000 on sanitary manhole replacement and $200,000 on the Miller Meadows storm pond.
Most of the remaining work will be conducted in the uptown core on 50 and 49 streets, immediately south of Highway 27, with the exception of the Miller Meadows stormwater improvements.
Wright told council that access to the uptown core will be maintained with at least one paved lane open on the roadway and always maintain access to the Wild Rose Medical Centre.
“That was a critical element in our tenders so… you do half the road, and you leave it half paved. (It's important to) always maintain access, because that's the only medical clinic (in town) and that's really critical,” he said.
"We've been waiting a long time. The past council ... did do work on 57 Avenue but it's time that this is getting re-done."Judy DahlOlds mayor
