Despite not receiving any provincial grants as of yet for infrastructure projects, the city will be going ahead with paving 68th Avenue (Kettle River Drive to 19th Street).
At the regular meeting on May 26, Grand Forks city council chose 68th Avenue over 22nd Street for pavement rehabilitation.
Those two streets were recommended by Urban Systems for the mill-and-replace program for pavement rehabilitation.
Staff also asked that council approve a budget amendment for the project, which will be partially funded through either gas tax money, a borrowing bylaw, or reserves from the slag fund.
The mill-and-replace program involves crushing the existing asphalt, placing a crush gravel base which includes the existing milling, and placing a new asphalt surface.
“The background is that, based on the current condition and the lack of funding that has come forward from the provincial government in being ready for the replacement of these assets, and based on the expectation of water conservation moving forward, we have the expectation that we will be able to essentially repave one of the roads.”
Staff recommended 68th Avenue, said Allin, “The rationale behind that is that it is the more suitable of the two because it is a secondary access road through our community.”
Allin said repaving for 22nd Street would be more complicated due to having more moving parts because the water main is smaller.
“There are a number of things we would recommend you move forward under the grant to replace that full asset,” he said. “Twenty-second is one that affects the hospital but in the long-term it’s going to be the one you’re going to want to get done in the short-term with all the assets being replaced.”
“Sixty-eighth has the potential to be paved and to not be a big risk in having to tear it up again,” said Taylor after the meeting. “We’re confident that it has some capacity for a number of years. We’ve got options if we get into trouble in terms of putting a sideline along the boulevard.”
Allin said in addition to paving the road, the city would also be doing storm sewer rehabilitation.
“That’s why the road is falling apart,” he said. “Because the sub-base material, the stuff you can’t see, that’s all degradating because of the moisture that sits on the shoulder of the road.”
Taylor said that the people of Grand Forks have been so patient in waiting for the city to get grants from the provincial and federal government.
“We need to respond to their frustration with a condition of roads and that seems the most reasonable and sensible one,” he said.
The cost for the project is expected to be $388,437.50 including a 10 per cent contingency.
Allin said the city will now put the project to tender. He expects the work will be completed this summer and be finished by September.