Revelstoke requires more than $20 million over 15 years to fix its worsening roads, according to a recent report.
Anything less would see road conditions further deteriorate, said the study by Tetra Tech, a consulting and engineering firm.
In the last 10 years the city budgeted an average per year $560,000 on rehabilitation and construction and $235,000 for maintenance, annually. However, it wasn’t enough to prevent decline.
According to the report, $1.25 million per year, plus inflation, is needed to sustain current road conditions and reduce the backlog of roadwork. However, the money does not include fixing sidewalks and curbs.
Council approved $1.25 million last year for the 2020 budget and a two per cent property tax increase to pay for it. This will be revisited in upcoming budget deliberations for 2021.
READ MORE: Revelstoke sticks with 6% property tax increase
The report mentioned five road rehabilitation priorities over the next five years including: Westside Rd., from 3024-3270 on Camozzi Rd., 597-959 on Coldbeck Rd., 0-108 on Pearson St. and 211-2364 on Nichol Rd.
A similar study was done in 2015. Both measured the condition of the roads against a pavement condition index and a pavement cracking index.
In 2015, the condition index showed that 23 per cent of roads in Revelstoke scored less than 55 out of 100. In 2018, 53 per cent of roads scored less than 55.
The cracking index showed that roughly 30 per cent of roads in Revelstoke were considered to be in poor condition in 2015 and by 2020, that number increased to 46 per cent.
The proposed Engineering and Public Works budget for 2021 includes two road rebuilds totalling over $1.27 million and $400,000 worth of pavement patching and repairs.
Another update to the Pavement Management Plan is budgeted for 2025.
Budget deliberations between city council and city staff are ongoing.
| A map showing road conditions in Revelstoke. (City of Revelstoke) |
@JDoll_Revy
jocelyn.doll@revelstokereview.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.