by Colin Smith
The cost of upgrading the three worst lanes in Morinville would be about $100,000 to $150,000 per block, plus $10,000 for surveying and geotechnical information.
The figures were provided in a lane condition report presented to Town Council at its February 12 regular meeting. In December Council had directed Administration to prepare a report on the condition of Morinville’s alleys.
The report is based on an earlier one prepared for the Town by AECOM Canada Ltd. on the costs of improving the lane east of 100 Street, between 99 Avenue and 100 Avenue to remedy drainage problems.
The new report includes a map showing the condition of Morinville’s more than 20 lanes: satisfactory and paved, satisfactory and unpaved, poor and paved and poor and unpaved.
The worst lane is considered to be the one between 104 and 105 Streets connecting 100 and 101 Avenue. The next two considered to be in the poorest condition are the lane south of 99 Avenue connecting 102 and 103 Streets and that from 100 Avenue to 97a Avenue between 100 and 99 Streets.
Based on the AECOM report Council budgeted about $125,000 in 2019 for the restoration of the lane east of 100 Street from 99 Avenue to 100 Avenue.
According to the Director of Public Works Claude Valcourt, the classification is based not on the number of complaints received, but on the level of effort in terms of equipment and labour required to maintain adequate drainage during spring thaw or a heavy rainfall.
In response to a question from Councillor Lawrence Giffin, Valcourt acknowledged that the main reason for the less than satisfactory condition of the roads is a poor base.
Valcourt stated that only two lanes have a stormwater line within the lane itself, All other lanes would require to the nearest line of the stormwater system, with additional costs.
The Administration is recommending that if Council decides to upgrade a lane it should budget for surveying, geotechnical work, design and tendering in one year, and then go ahead with the construction work in the following year when the cost is known.
Making the point that Council may want to look at repairing one lane each year, Councillor Nicole Boutestein moved that the report be brought back to it for the 2020 budget deliberations.
The motion was carried, as was a motion to receive the report as information.
