WOODLANDS COUNTY - The provincial highway signs welcoming travellers to Woodlands County will have to remain slightly askew for a bit longer.
On Aug. 13, councillors approved a recommendation to delay maintenance on the "Welcome to Woodlands County" signs until the 2026 budget year.
Woodlands County infrastructure manager Paul Macaraeg said public works investigated the issue after council informed them of a potential problem with the signs.
He noted there are six "Welcome to Woodlands County" signs on provincial highways, and on average, they are between one and four degrees off kilter.
Paul Macaraeg added that the two signs on Highway 43, from Whitecourt, are the worst at four per cent.
The provincial maintenance standards for sign misalignment is five degrees.
Macaraeg said they contacted the highway maintenance contractor for the area to obtain an estimate for the work, as they have experience resetting signs, but noted that they were hesitant to take on the job.
"They declined because the signs are old and frail. They were also hesitant because they are under an electrical line," he said.
The agenda package also notes that the signs, which were carved out of large wooden slabs, are over 30 years old. In addition to being potentially frail, they are also deteriorating cosmetically.
The agenda package specifically highlights the signs on Highway 43, noting that the paint layer and the retroreflective sheeting on the lettering are peeling off.
Macaraeg said they could look for another contractor to do the work.
The work involves bringing in a piker truck to lift the heavy wooden signs, detaching them from the signposts, resetting the posts and reattaching the signs to the posts.
The county, in the agenda package, estimates the work could cost upwards of $4,000.
However, Macaraeg noted that there is a risk that the signs could break when lifted, and the cost of replacing them ranges from $20,000 to $60,000 per sign.
The other option, Macaraeg said, is that the municipality could delay taking action until necessary, as all their signs still meet provincial requirements.
Blue Ridge Coun. Bruce Prestidge said he was frustrated that the issue was still before council, as he raised the alarm several years ago.
"It is more than the signs leaning. These signs are portraying the municipality," he said. "I've seen [other county signs] out there that make it look like they've gone broke. I don't think that is the way we want to portray our municipality. We need to stop making excuses and find a way to get this done.
Reeve Dave Kusch said while he agreed with Prestidge, his opinion was that they should accept administration's recommendation to delay the sign straightening.
"We are already halfway through the construction season. If we try to move [the signs] and [they] break apart, we could be looking at a $50,000 bill [each]," he said.
Kusch added that by delaying the project, the council would have the opportunity to include the work and replacement signs where needed in next year's budget.
Whitecourt West Coun. John Burrows said that approximately two years prior, the municipality had investigated the potential for rebranding, adding that they had applied for and received a provincial grant to offset the associated costs.
"Do we still have the grant?" he asked.
Chief administrative officer Matthew Ferris said no, noting the county returned the money to the province once the municipality opted against the initiative.
However, Ferris said, even if they still had the grant money, the province excluded road signs, adding it is administration's recommendation to delay any action until the 2026 budget.
He also added the two signs on Highway 43 that were at a higher risk of needing replacement, as the signs on the provincial secondary highways were smaller.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
