COCHRANE— The Town of Cochrane has approved an additional $4.78 million in funding for capital projects in 2020.
Council voted unanimously to pursue these projects at their council meeting on Monday (June 22).
Councillor Tara McFadden noted that the projects will help improve traffic flow in Cochrane while helping to support job creation in the community.
"This brings a lot of jobs and a lot of investment to our local economy when we really need it," McFadden said. "This is an easy one to support."
The Town will pursue four projects using funding from grants, reserves and off-site levies. The capital projects will proceed with no impact on property taxes.
A major project included in the funding is the Highway 1A/22 utility relocation. The area is part of the Alberta Transportation Highway 1A and 22 interchange project. As part of the work, municipal utility infrastructure will need to be relocated to facilitate construction on the highway.
The project was initially budgeted to be completed in 2021. It was recommended the project be moved forward to 2020 to allow the Province's work on the interchange to potentially begin earlier.
The Highway 1A/22 utility relocation is expected to cost around $4.41 million and will be funded through the FGTF grant and offsite levels. Included in this cost is $1 million to fund the transfer of fill from the project to James Walker Trail.
The utility relocation is a great project for the Town to commit to coun. Alex Reed said because it is strategic and timely in ensuring the intersection can move forward.
“I’m really excited about this,” Reed said. “We want to be shovel ready. We don’t want to give the province any excuse for not being able with that project.”
Mayor Jeff Genung added that he appreciated the efficiencies found in the project by bringing the utility project forward and utilizing the fill for James Walker Trail.
“Bringing it forward into this year, everybody is obviously in favour of getting all of the obstacles out of the way,” Genung said. “It’s a big win.”
Focused on streamlining traffic in Cochrane the Range Road 262 was also approved for an upgrade in 2020 at a cost of $100,000. The funds will be drawn from reserves.
The project includes a roadway running 1,600 metres that includes a sidewalk, curb-and-gutter, two vehicle lanes, bike lanes and a future median.
“There’s a demand from the community that we do spend some money to do everything we can to improve our traffic infrastructure in Cochrane,” coun. Morgan Nagel said.
The construction of the road will be required to provide access to Highway 1A when Range Road 43 is closed as part of the Highway 1A and 22 Interchange Project.
The River Heights Reservoir Preliminary Design was included in funding approvals. The initial design of the project will be used to help determine the volume of water and pumping requirements needed to support future growth in the southern area of Cochrane.
The current facility has limited capacity left and the design will help the Town understand associated costs need for future construction.
The project will cost about $234,000 and will be funded from the reservoir reserve.
Reed said he is pleased to move forward with the project because it allows the Town to actively and strategically plan for and foster growth in the community.
The last 2020 capital project approved at the meeting was the Sanitary Sewer Inspection Camera at a cost of $40,000.
The camera, described as a sewer line rat, is used to inspect sewers in Cochrane. The camera can significantly lower the cost of flushing and inspection on all wastewater completion piping, while reducing the time and expenses spent on sewer inspection.
It was important for council to take steps to make traffic easier in town by approving these projects, Coun. Marni Fedeyko said.
She added that while there is a cost associated with the projects they will provide critical infrastructure that will help improve the quality of life of community residents.
“While I do understand that there is a cost attached to this it would make no sense to nothing right now,” Fedeyko said. “Let’s get moving.”
