This is the second consecutive summer season that has seen the roads torn up in the East End of Cochrane and residents detouring around mud holes and backhoes to make their way home.
But the end is in sight, with completion slated for Sept. 30, weather-bearing.
The original completion was set for Sept. 5, but this was extended due to ‘unforeseen underground conflicts including shallow utilities’.
“During 2013, we reconstructed the underground and did surface improvements on Benchlands Drive, Benchlands Place and on Powell Street,” explained Wally Hume, roads manager for the town.
“This season (2014) we are reconstructing the underground and doing surface improvements on Sibbald Street and Pope Ave.”
The projects run $1.5M, with some 90 per cent of this funded from the new deal gas tax credit the town received last year and the remaining 10 per cent from the road rehabilitation reserve the town contributes to annually.
“In 2015, our goal is to focus on surface improvements, paving, concrete and road markings to our main arterial roads within the commercial and industrial sector,” said Hume.
The town tenders road construction and the East End road improvements were co-managed with a field engineer from (contracted) Urban Systems; Rubydale Construction was the company contracted this year.
“Based on Alberta government specifications from the grant, we are required to take the lowest bid if (applicants) meet all the tender requirements.”
Hume said the town contracted Urban Systems this summer to conduct a pavement management assessment to manage road assets moving forward.
