Come spring or summer, residents living in MacGill Estates may have their concerns addressed regarding the road that connects their subdivision with the highway.
Shannon Carlson, on behalf of other MacGill residents, gave a presentation to Barrhead Town Council at their regular meeting on Tuesday, Jan.13 asking them to consider working with Barrhead County to upgrade Range Road 35 south from Hwy. 18 to MacGill Estates.
The presentation follows one Carlson made to Barrhead County Council on Nov. 21.
Residents contend that during certain weather conditions or times of year, the road is virtually impassable.
“With the high volume of traffic travelling on the road the gravel that is put down every year just flies off and what you are left with is a lot of mud whenever the road gets wet from either rain or spring melt off,” he said.
Originally Carlson took his concerns to the county, complete with a petition signed by all MacGill Estates residents because the subdivision is in the county’s boundary.
The issue is complicated because although the road services county residents, it is actually owned by the town.
“I told county council that regardless of who owns the road, they approved the subdivision there and they have to service it properly just as they do with any other subdivision they have in the county,” he said.
To the credit of county council, Carlson said the county realizes that something has to be done and that it will be discussed at their budget retreat in the spring.
“We are not asking the world. Whether it be oil or something else we just want something dry,” he said.
However, because the road is owned by the town, county staff asked Carlson to bring MacGill residents concerns to town council.
“It makes sense,” Carlson said, adding that not only does the town own the road, but many Beaver Brook Estates residents use the road to get into and out of their subdivision. Beaver Brook Estates is in the town’s boundaries.
Although the road is not officially open yet, there is a service road that connects Beaver Brook Estates with Range Road 35.
In fact, Carlson said town crews, especially during the winter use it to get to their snow removal spots.
“The town uses half the road and owns the whole road so I think at some point the county will be approaching the town to see if there can be a split of some sort,” he said.
Barrhead Mayor Gerry St. Pierre thanked Carlson for bringing the information to council’s attention.
“I think we all recognize something has to be done,” St. Pierre said, adding it was only recently when he realized the road was under the town’s jurisdiction.
He said in the summer while he was doing his rounds he used the access road from Beaver Brook Estates to Range Road 35.
“I just washed my truck and it got severely dirty after going on the road,” St. Pierre joked, adding that currently it is not an official road and at this time is not maintained as one.
He then questioned Carlson if the MacGill Estates residents have done any research on the cost of resurfacing the road to what they considered an acceptable standard.
Carlson said the information he received from the county suggests it would cost about $25,000 to grade and coat the surface with oil. Because of the traffic volume on the road he believes the road would have to be resurfaced every year.
Councillor Roy Ulmer said the road has been an issue for some time even though the county originally built the road to a good standard.
“Almost to the point where it could be paved,” he said, adding due to the current economic climate in the province that would be unlikely to happen. “That is unfortunate because using oil is only a bandaid solution.”
Councillor Don Smith wondered why the county would not looking into a more permanent solution to the problem.
“It is my understanding that they are spending between $8,000 and $10,000 just to put down gravel every year,” he said. “Why would you not want to put down oil that would be good for two or three years than spend that much or more grading and putting down more gravel?”
Smith then asked Carlson, after the county upgraded and widened the road if there was still the problem of ruts and pot holes.
Carlson answered washboarding was still an issue.
“That is not anything against the county,” he said. “It is a well maintained road, the base is good, but with the amount of traffic it just blows the gravel off and soon as water hits it you have a layer of mush.”
Councillor Ryan Warehime came up with another possible solution.
“If they are not willing to maintain the road properly, maybe they would like to turn over the subdivision to the Town of Barrhead,” he said.
St. Pierre said the town recognizes its responsibility as owners of the road and would work together with the county to come up with a solution.
Warehime suggested the issue be put on the agenda of the next joint county and town council meeting. Council agreed unanimously.
Even though St. Pierre said the town would work with the county to come up with a solution, this issue is an example of a problem amalgamation would solve.
“This road would be dealt with on a priority basis just like any other road,” he said.
