Province’s Highway 642 project completed, Morinville’s public works department says

Above: A car drives down a slightly bumpier 100 Avenue. Public Works says the province’s chip seal project is now completed.

by Colin Smith

What you see is what you get with 100 Avenue.

According to Morinville Director of Public Works Claude Valcourt, line-painting last week concluded Alberta Transportation’s maintenance work on the road, which is under provincial jurisdiction as Highway 642.

A provincial contractor began installing a chip seal coat to 100 Avenue in late August, to the surprise of Morinville officials.

Chip seal involves a road being covered with a layer of gravel that is sealed with asphalt binder to hold it together and level the surface.

Valcourt said there may be some extra sweeping up of rock chips, but otherwise, the road is going to stay as it is, with its rougher texture.

The chip seal coat is expected to last 10 years, reducing maintenance costs to a tenth the cost of what they would be the familiar asphalt overlay.

“I understand the reason they want to do it this way,” said Valcourt, noting that there are pros and cons to the method.

“It would be nice to have more of a heads up and discussions with people.”

He said Morinville officials have been in touch with Alberta Transportation to express their disappointment with the process.

Residents who are unhappy with the work can contact Alberta Transport, as some have already done.

“They can also notify our elected officials so they can turn around and talk to the provincial representatives, elected official to elected official,” Valcourt said.

The Town says remnant gravel may see another round of sweep up.

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2 Comments

  1. What? Why Alberta Transportation didn’t construct the road on concrete if they wanted a more durable low maintenance road? This is just a lazy job.

  2. What a mess, as road cyclist who uses 642 this road has been totally destroyed. There was nothing wrong with the old road, in fact it was perfect and one of the best maintained roads north of Edmonton. This is no longer a safe road to travel on.

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