Council backs $1.71M Blairmore paving

Crowsnest Pass council has approved a $1.71-million paving project for a busy section of Blairmore, choosing the full scope over less expensive options expected to have shorter service lives.

Council voted Sept. 15 to ratify the award of the 20 Avenue Blairmore paving contract to Volker Stevin for $1,590,255.07. The full project cost, including approximately $120,000 for engineering, is estimated at $1,710,034.52.

The motion carried without recorded opposition.

The work covers 20 Avenue from the west Highway 3 access to the 112 Street intersection, 107 Street between 20 Avenue and Highway 3 and the hospital access road.

The municipality originally budgeted $1 million for the project. Council approved an additional $520,179 from the Federal Build Communities Strong Fund and $189,855.52 from the Road Reserve.

Administration said the asphalt is beyond its useful life but has not experienced complete base failure, making it possible to extend the road’s life with an overlay. The design found some areas need base repairs and a levelling course because of wheel rutting.

The full project is expected to provide a 20-year service life. It will also improve pedestrian crossings at 107 Street and 112 Street.

At 107 Street, the crosswalk will be repositioned so vehicles stopping at the intersection do not block it. The 112 Street crossing will be moved slightly west, closer to the public washrooms, with a landing added on the south side and a connection to the trail beneath the bridge.

Administration presented six reduced-scope alternatives. The least expensive, at about $1.01 million, would have removed all work east of 107 Street and the hospital access road, while eliminating the levelling course on 107 Street.

Other options would have removed the hospital road, shortened the 20 Avenue work or reduced the amount of asphalt and base repair. Depending on the option, administration estimated the cuts could shorten the pavement’s life by three to seven years and allow cracking, potholes and rutting to return sooner.

Councillors said completing the entire project at once would avoid another mobilization and the risk of higher prices for later work.

The municipality expected the contractor to mobilize within days of the decision and planned to complete the work in 2026 if weather permits. Administration said a prolonged weather delay could push some work to spring, although the tender price would generally remain in place unless an adverse condition required further discussion.