BARRHEAD - The County of Barrhead is one step closer to completing upgrade work on three bridge or culvert files thanks to a decision by council.
On June 18, councillors, in three separate motions, authorized the municipality to enter into memorandums of understanding (MOA) with Alberta Transportation for more than $900,000 in infrastructure funding.
The funding comes from the Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program (STIP).
The province created STIP to help municipalities solve their infrastructure deficit, boost the economy, and create jobs as part of its response to the coronavirus. The program allows municipalities to receive roughly 75 per cent of the funding for approved infrastructure projects.
Public works manager Travis Wierenga said the first MOA for up to $300,000 is for upgrades for a bridge over Romeo Creak on Township Road 594 at Range Road 594 in the Mystery Lake area.
He added that the project is included in the municipality's 2025 Capital Plan and is estimated to cost $350,000.
"[It is the standard] agreement and includes the bridge replacement cost at $400,00 with STIP funding being the lesser of $300,000 or 75 per cent of the actual costs," Wierenga said.
Later in the meeting, county manager Debbie Oyarzun explained that public works staff had used the $350,000 as a "placeholder" that would be replaced when a more accurate estimate was available, adding that engineers now estimate the project costs at $400,000.
The second MOU with Alberta Transportation provided for a culvert replacement on Township Road 603A west of Range Road 30 up to a maximum of $255,000, while the third agreement provided for a maximum of $348,750 for another culvert replacement on Range Road 44 south of Township Road 621, near Misty Ridge Ski Hill.
Coun. Walter Preugschas emphasized that the projected costs of all the projects were still estimates, saying they would only know the actual costs once the projects had been tendered and bids accepted.
Wierenga agreed, saying construction on the projects would likely start next spring or summer.
"The engineering of the projects still needs to be done, and then a tender package will be put together and sent out for bids," he said, adding he expected the bids would come in for council's consideration sometime this fall.
Deputy reeve Marvin Schatz said it was a welcome surprise that the province approved as many of the county's STIP funding applications as they did, adding that several of their applications were denied in recent years.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
