Where did the Town’s roads projects dollars go in 2016? An overview

Roads are likely the most complained about infrastructure in Huntsville. With an annual budget that isn’t big enough to address all of the issues, Town Council must prioritize how funds are allocated. A new 10-year capital asset management plan for roads and bridges was adopted by council in July and in year one of that plan, most of the projects are now complete and on budget with a handful still to be wrapped up this fall.

Here’s how the dollars shook out this year, and what the future holds.

Roads and sidewalks

Road surface work was completed on sections of West Court, North Drive, Fish Lake Road, West Browns Road, Old Ferguson Road, Stephenson Road 12 W, Old Muskoka Road, South Drive, Stephenson Road 12 E, Stephenson Road 7 W, Stephenson Road 8, South Lancelot, Morgan’s Road, South Waseosa Lake Road, Fish Lake Road, Vernon Shores Avenue, Line Hill Road, Markles Road and Lynx Lake Road within the budgeted cost of $1,542,730.

Dara Howell Way is still scheduled for paving in the next few weeks at a budgeted cost of $50,000.

Sidewalk replacements near Commerce Park and Rogers Cove earlier in the year consumed half of the $100,000 for sidewalk work, with the other half allocated to sidewalk spot repairs this fall.

Bridges

Two bridge rehabilitation projects – on Fish Lake Road and Rowanwood Road – were delayed due to concern that they were historical structures and are now proceeding. They are expected to be completed within their combined budget of $140,000 as well, said the Town’s Executive Director of Transportation Infrastructure Jason Krynicki.

As for the other major bridge project this year: “The Stephenson Road 1 bridge is a bit delayed but they are scheduled to have it finished the week before Thanksgiving,” said Krynicki. “If you go up there now it looks like they’re not making much progress, but the bridge itself is all pre-fabricated steel so once the concrete work is done they just bring the bridge in and drop it in. The last part will go quick.” The cost for the bridge replacement – awarded to All Services Inc. at a tendered bid of $1,294,480 – is to be shared by the Town of Huntsville and the Town of Bracebridge. They are submitting a joint application for the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund Top-Up Component to offset the cost of the project.

Culverts

Two culverts that were slated for replacement – on Grandview Drive and at Cann Lake at a combined cost of $115,000 – are still being investigated to determine whether they merely need to be cleaned out or require replacement. If a full replacement is required at Cann Lake, it may be delayed until the spring. “It depends on what the Department of Fisheries and Oceans allows us to do,” said Krynicki.

The culvert replacement at Lynx Creek on Muskoka Road 10 – a District of Muskoka project – was delayed but is now expected to commence in October. The Town’s contribution of $10,000 to the project will likely increase to $45,000, Krynicki said at the August 24 General Committee Meeting, but with two other District projects cancelled for this year the Town remains within budget for District projects.

See the 2016 project update that was presented to the Town’s General Committee in August here (PDF).

Communicating road project updates

At the last General Committee meeting, Councillor Bob Stone suggested that the Town could provide better communication with residents about work being done on their roads. “If at the entrance of the road there was a sign that says this is what’s happening now and here’s what’s going to happen in the future, it relieves a lot of stress for citizens. I think it would be a great communication piece if we could do something like that.”

Krynicki agreed that it would be helpful and said that next year they’ll be “putting an onus on the contractor themselves to plan and provide a contact number for emergencies and more information as to what’s happening. We will be doing a better job of this next year.”

What’s in store for 2017

The 10-year Capital Asset Management Plan outlines what projects are priorities for 2017, but Krynicki acknowledged that the plan can change.

That’s certainly not carved in stone – just look at this year alone where we are having to bump projects in favour of other projects identified by council. It’s a living thing, it will change every year, but it will at least give people an idea where they fall on the priority list.Executive Director of Transportation Infrastructure Jason Krynicki on the 10-year capital asset management plan for roads and bridges

Currently on tap for 2017 are road surface projects on sections of Old Muskoka Road, South Drive, North Mary Lake Road, Skyhills Road, Harp Lake Road, Maple Heights Drive, Parkside Drive, Forest Glen Road, Riverside Drive, Lawrence Avenue, West Court, North Drive, Fish Lake Rd, West Browns Road, Old Ferguson Rd, and Stephenson Road 12 W; existing gravel sections on North Fox Lake Road, Old Novar Road, Stephenson Road 7 East, Oak Ridge Road, Peacock Bay Road, Candytown Lane, Sam English Road, Concession 2/3 West and Longs Lake Road; a bridge replacement on Etwell Road; a bridge rehabilitation on Rowanwood Road; and a handful of other projects, all at a budget of $2.4M.

Wondering if your road is on the list? See the 10-year plan here (PDF).

Don’t miss out on Doppler! Sign up for our free, twice-weekly newsletter here.