CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Charlottetown’s public works committee has voted against paving more than 38 streets this year.
The city announced earlier this year it would spend $2.5 million to pave all or a part of 38 streets.
After a brutal winter with a number of freeze-thaw cycles, there is no shortage of need out there to fix broken pavement and deep potholes.
At its monthly meeting this week, the committee debated whether to add more streets to its list.
“The condition of streets in Charlottetown are horrible. We’re putting a dent in it,’’ Mayor Philip Brown, who sits on all of the standing committees, said in reference to the $2.5 million. “There is so much work to do. We need these streets paved and if we have to spend more money, I’m advocating for it.’’
“My fear in creating another list (of streets) is we’re going to be setting up people for disappointment."
-Alanna Jankov
Coun. Alanna Jankov, vice-chairwoman of the committee, said the contractor handling the 38 streets on the initial list is already swamped with work and she fears by adding more streets the contractor will simply run out of time.
“My fear in creating another list (of streets) is we’re going to be setting up people for disappointment,’’ Jankov said.
Coun. Mitchell Tweel said the city needs to concentrate on doing more neighbourhood streets.
Coun. Mike Duffy, who chairs the committee, said there are so many other priorities on the city’s agenda it can’t afford to do more than it has in the past few years.
Microsufacing
The city’s budget for street paving this year falls about in the middle of what it has spent in recent years. In 2016, the budget was about $2 million while close to $4 million was spent in 2017.
Duffy added that the city is in the midst of searching for funding partners for a new multi-use sports and entertainment complex and the provincial and federal governments won’t take kindly to the city overspending in areas like this. The city is also dealing with aging facilities such as the Cody Banks Arena and Simmons Sport Centre so the ice pad issue is a big one.
Now, the city is spending more than $2.5 million on roads this year if microsurfacing is taken into account.
Public works has proposed to spend another $564,000 on microsurfacing another 5.4 kilometres of roads.
Microsurfacing is a process that is designed for roads that are in relatively good condition but are showing some wear. It involves a thin layer of asphalt being applied over the top of the street, preventing things like salt and freezing rain from seeping in. It can add decades of life to a road.
Public works has proposed using the process to do Mount Edward Road, from the bypass towards Belvedere Avenue and North River Road, from McGill Avenue to Brighton Road.
It was done in 2017 on University Avenue, Capital Drive and Longworth Avenue.
