It is the responsibility of the Ministry of Highways and not city hall to manage a slope-damaged section of Ninth Avenue Southwest and either close it or limit traffic, municipal officials say.
The safety and condition of the road have been on city council’s mind since at least 2021 after members voted unanimously to submit an expression of interest to the Ministry of Highways through the Urban Highway Connector Program (UHCP) to address Highway 363/Ninth Avenue Southwest from city limits to Warner Street and Valley View Drive.
After several years of discussions, the ministry made temporary repairs to the “roller coaster” street this past summer and left behind a road covered in gravel.
However, it pushed the remaining work into 2024 because it learned there were allegedly archaeological artifacts — bones from Aboriginal graves — on the west side of the road that potentially prevented it from moving forward.
During the Oct. 10 council meeting, Coun. Crystal Froese inquired about the road repairs and wondered if city hall planned to enforce temporary restrictions over the winter to limit certain vehicles, such as semi-trucks.
Froese thought that was a smart idea since she had driven over the road recently and experienced its condition. She also wondered if the municipality would set a uniform speed limit there since there are several different speed-limit signs.
Bevan Harlton, director of engineering, replied that he has left the responsibility of limiting traffic or closing the road to the ministry, while he has been in regular communication with those officials.
“So it’s not something I’m seeking to remove the city from. However, it is incumbent on them to make that decision since it is their responsibility,” he said, adding he would provide more comprehensive answers after meeting with the ministry’s project manager.
As for speed limits, Harlton said he would leave that decision to his department’s operational staff. They have been responsible for instructing city crews to erect speed-limit reduction signs of 30 kilometres per hour in that area.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Oct. 23.
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