With costs for road work soaring, Richmond Municipal Council has decided to submit three roads to the province’s list of j-class roads requiring upgrades.
Richmond Public Works Director Chris Boudreau told last night’s regular monthly meeting in
Arichat that he made changes to the estimates since the cost of resurfacing paved roads went from $330,000 per kilometre last year, to around $700,000 per kilometre from the province for repaving Langley Lane in Point Tupper.
Warden Amanda Mombourquette said it’s uncertain whether the municipality can participate in cost-sharing since that was “much more” than they anticipated.
Noting that the municipality was told they could pull-out of that arrangement since Langley Lane was already submitted last year, Deputy Warden Melanie Sampson suggested the municipality do so before hearing from the province. Council then approved a motion to remove Langley Lane from its submissions.
The deputy warden said Marchand Lane in Louisdale is in bad shape and has deteriorated since last year, and she wondered if it could be placed at the top of the list.
The deputy warden said another road on the list, Samson Road, could also prove expensive but District 5 Councillor suggested said it should remain since it’s been a long time since it received maintenance.
Among the roads on the current list is Lobster Plant Road, but since last year’s estimate was around $800,000, which will increase this year, the deputy warden questioned whether it should remain.
District 2 Councillor Michael Diggdon said employees use the road, and he asked if there was a way to divide funding between the employer, the province, and the municipality, since the company does some of its own maintenance.
Council decided to submit Marchand Lane and Samson Road to the province, as well as Lobster Plant Road, with a request for a three-way funding arrangement. If that is not accepted, council agreed that it will withdraw Lobster Plant Road from its application.