Following direction provided by County of Wetaskiwin Council, Administration compiled a list of former paved and oiled roads and has prepared to complete the works through the Strategic and Tactical Plan.
At the July 10, 2021 General Council Meeting, Councillor Lyle Seely moved the motion that the 2021 Council Strategic and Tactical Plan be amended to include:
“Maintain and replace existing oiled roads subject to appropriate base in place. If the base does not support the oiled product, replace of existing oil surface will be with a dust control product. Any standard higher than that will be by local improvement.”
As a result Administration identified a total of 24.30 km of former oiled or paved roadways. Of these, approximately 6.35 kilometres is currently applied with a calcium chloride dust control product at total cost of $41,300. To apply a full compliment of dust control to these former oiled and paved road segments would cost an additional $116,700 to Public Works Operations.
As the 3205 Maintenance Budget for 2021 is already expected to be tight, the additional expenditures needed to be assessed for direction by County Council on whether the additional costs would be allocated for dust control.
Council was provided with three options to consider on the issues:
1. That Council direct Administration to reduce other maintenance activities within the 3205 Maintenance Budget in order to account for the additional expenses for dust control;
2. That Council direct Administration to fund the provision of dust control as contained within the 2021 Strategic and Tactical Plan utilizing Public Works Reserves; or
3. That Council revise their direction from June 10, 2021 and direct Administration to maintain the provision of dust control on previously oiled roads to what was completed in 2020 for the 2021 season and further refer the matter to 2021 Strategic Planning for 2022 Budget for all future dust control provisions.
Ultimately, Council directed Administration to fund the provision of dust control as contained within the 2021 Strategic and Tactical Plan utilizing Public Works Paved Contingency Reserves to include several more roads.
These roads include:
• Twp 480 adjacent to Curilane AB from RR 271 to RR 272;
• Twp 472 and RR 255 from Bevetta Estates to Hwy 6161;
• Battle Lake Tail from Hwy 13 to start of Old Battle Lake Trail;
• Lakedell Ag Society Road RR 12 from Hwy 13 to Ag Society;
• Lakedell Transfer Station Road from Hwy 13 to Transfer Station;
• RR 10 from Hwy 13 to west termination of Viola Beach Drive;
• Cameron Highlands from Scott Ave and Highland Brae Dr to 40 Street;
• For a total estimated cost of $70,850.