WESTLOCK — The Town of Westlock is moving forward with their grant application to the Alberta Community Partnership (ACP) program for the regional transportation strategic plan.
At the Sept. 23 regular council meeting director of operations Robin Benoit provided details on the $200,000 grant application, the same application that was unsuccessful last year.
“We’re partnering with (Westlock) County and (Village of) Clyde to do a full road survey. We are due for that on a five-year schedule,” said Benoit, noting the three municipalities are working together on the grant application and regional transportation strategic plan.
“This is the same grant we applied for last year but we had only partnered with Clyde and weren’t successful on it so our consultant, the grant company that’s doing this has said this does strengthen our position and our grant application.”
Following a short presentation, councillors discussed it before a motion was unanimously passed.
Coun. Curtis Snell asked about the depth of detail being done for the road survey.
“For the surface, is crack measurements. They’ll do structural analysis,” said Benoit. “There is no ground penetrating radar used, but they’ll be able to give us a structural analysis of the road,” he added noting that will include what kind of weight it can carry, roughness and characteristics that the provincial government uses to evaluate roads as part of grants.
Benoit said the government will collect data and video as they travel and that combined with artificial intelligence, will pick out assets.
“So we’ll look at all our stop signs, all our yield signs and give us an idea of what the reflectivity is, when it requires a replacement,” he said, also noting the height of signs. “So lots of data will come from this and road quality is the primary purpose of the survey.”
Coun. Snell noted some similar work done in the town several years ago and was told this is an update to that previous work, which will include all of the town’s roads. He also asked about work being done in the county and the total cost.
“They said (the survey will do) all of the county’s roads … and all of Clyde’s roads as well,” said Benoit, confirming the work will be completed for the grant amount of $200,000.
