BARRHEAD - The County of Barrhead will continue its road reconditioning or shoulder pull program this season.
On May 20, councillors awarded a $116,150 contract to Stuber's Cat Service Ltd, a Barrhead-based company, for approximately 18.5 kilometres of shoulder pulls on municipal roads.
Infrastructure director Ken Hove said that as gravel roads age, they often become pushed out or widened due to traffic.
"Wide and flat roads become difficult to maintain and require excessive grading and gravelling, making for poor road top drainage," he said.
A shoulder pull is a process that sees shoulder and ditch dirt bladed to the middle of the road for tilling, making it easier for road crews to grade, pack and gravel. The process also helps give a road its proper profile, providing a moisture-shedding crown essential to gravel roads.
Hove said the process can only be completed on roads that have enough good material to work with to create an eight-metre road top.
He added that since the county began its shoulder pull program in 2020, they have had good road restoration results.
The county has set aside $195,000 in the 2025 capital budget to complete the work.
Hove said in recent years, the county has been getting more bang for its buck, noting in 2023, the municipality contracted B&B Wilson at $16,000 per 1.6 km or mile. In 2024, Wallis Bros Construction won the contract at $12,000 per 1.6 km, and this year, Stuber's bid was for $12,000 per 1.6 km.
In preparation for the work, public work crews conducted mulching this winter along the sections of roadways scheduled for revitalization.
Hove said Stubers was the lowest of the seven bids the county received after posting the work on the Alberta Purchasing Connection (APC).
The APC is an Alberta government website that municipalities use to advertise their tenders. Municipalities must also post and accept the best bids over a certain dollar amount under the New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA) between Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
The other bids ranged from the second-lowest of $12,000 per 1.6 km, from the previously mentioned Wallis Bros Construction, to a high of $58,428 per 1.6 km by Road to Rail Construction Group.
Coun. Walter Preugschas asked if the municipality had any dealings with Stubers.
Hove said no, but noted that most of the bidders included an equipment list, demonstrating they could complete the job.
"They are a new contractor for us, so we'll see how they do, but they have lots of equipment and have been in the construction business for a long time. I am sure they will do fine," he said.
Reeve Doug Drozd said there would likely be the need for some "handholding" as with most new companies.
"I know last year with Wallis Bros., we had to do a bit of handholding until they understood what we were expecting," he said.
Hove agreed, which is why public works aren't expected to add to the number of kilometres.
He said that, as part of the contract, as in other years, the county can add up to three miles or 4.8 kilometres of roadwork.
"We don't want to add on another three miles and find out, [the work] wasn't quite how we wanted it," Hove said.
Deputy Reeve Marvin Schatz said if that is the case, he suggested hiring the same contractor might be worth hiring or entering into multiple-year agreements.
"Rather than having the odd road that isn't up to our standards, instead of switching contractors all the time?"
Hove said they were also potentially adding a lot of money to the budget for the same kilometres.
Two years ago, he said they used B&B Wilson Oilfield Service, and if they did that this year, they would be committing to an extra $5,000 per 1.6 kilometres, or mile, which would add up quickly. B&B Wilson's bid was $15,000 per mile.
County manager Debbie Oyarzun said that the municipality had certain expectations built into the contract, adding that if they were not met, the company would have to redo the job until they were met.
Coun. Paul Properzi said he wasn't concerned.
"Staubers have done a lot of roads over the years," he said.
Preugschas added that many companies should be familiar with the county's standards, based in the area, saying over half of the bidders were from companies within an hour to an hour and a half of Barrhead.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
