The city will put an additional $6 million this year into remediating Greater Sudbury Swiss cheese streets.
During the meeting of the finance committee this week, councillors voted 8-1 to approve an additional $6 million for roads. This is on top of the previously-approved budget, developed during 2022 budget deliberations last year.
Only Ward 8 Coun. Al Sizer opposed the motion. Mayor Brian Bigger, Ward 3 Coun. Gerry Montpellier and Ward 5 Coun. Robert Kirwan were absent. Ward 2 Coun. Michael Vagnini did not vote.
The 2022 budget allocated $79 million into the city’s linear infrastructure.
“This investment includes the rehabilitation of the sanitary sewer, water and storm systems, bridges, culverts and pavement,” noted a staff report. “In total, approximately 50 lane kilometres of asphalt will be rehabilitated as part of this overall investment.”
The projects scheduled for 2022 include:
- Bancroft Drive from Nottingham Avenue to Levesque Street;
- Paris Street from Van Horne to John streets;
- The Kingsway from Silver Hills Drive to Falconbridge Road, and in the area east of Falconbridge Road;
- Larch Street from Elgin to Lisgar streets;
- Municipal Road 24 from Anderson Drive to Second Avenue;
- MR 35 to Clarabelle Road;
- MR 55 in the vicinity of Eve Street;
- MR 80 from Dutrisac Boulevard to Alexandre Street; Radar Road from Skead Road to Jack Pine Crescent; and
- Walford Road, from Regent to Paris streets.
But the city’s infrastructure gap tops $1 billion, so there is never enough money to tackle every necessary project.
Concerned about the state of the city’s streets, Sizer asked staff in late March for a report detailing where they could find more money to address the city’s beleaguered road system. This report was the result of that request.
The city uses a variety of methods to remediate roads, including the newly-purchased Python 5000 pothole-patcher, which replaces an entire crew. The city is also in the midst of a pilot project using hot in-place asphalt recycling.
Staff said the technique used really depends on the condition of the roadway.
“Spreader-laid patches have proven to be an effective maintenance treatment due to the larger area of deteriorating and cracking asphalt that is removed and the increased compaction and smoothness that can be achieved with a mechanical spreader,” the report indicated. “On roads where the substructure has begun to deteriorate, the spreader-laid patches are expected to extend the life of the pavement by two to five years; however, on roads where the substructure is not damaged, the spreader-laid patches are expected to extend the life of the pavement by seven to 10 years.”
Ottawa city councillors look at the Python 5000, a unique piece of equipment to repair potholes. The City of Greater Sudbury has recently purchased a Python 5000, which should make its local debut soon. Photo by Jean Levac
Some roadways are beyond the scope of spreader-laid patches and would require a greater infusion of cash. Where significant work is required, $6 million would not go far, staff noted.
“On roads like Fielding Road, where the substructure has significantly deteriorated, spreader-laid patches are not an appropriate treatment. For these types of roads, a major rehabilitation, which repairs or replaces the substructure, is required,” the report noted.
“These major rehabilitation projects would also consider the current condition of the existing subsurface utilities, as well as any identified future infrastructure needs (ex. road widenings, active transportation facilities, upsizing of sewer or water pipes) for the area.”
Staff recommended council approve a 2022 work plan to increase spreader-laid patching work. It would have the most impact, they noted.
“Should the entire $6 million be used for spreader-laid patches, this would result in approximately 100,000 (square metres) or the equivalent of approximately 28.5 lane kilometres of pavement being repaired,” the report indicated. “This equates to an additional 0.8 per cent of the approximately 3,600 lane kilometres of roads within the community.”
Joe Rocca, from the city’s infrastructure capital planning department, told councillors the 50 lane kilometres that were identified for remediation as part of the 2022 budget represent a small fraction of the city’s 3,600 km of roadway, just 1.4 per cent of all municipal thoroughfares.
Staff recommended the additional $6 million come from the capital general holding account reserve.
“Greater Sudbury experienced a significant number of freeze-thaw cycles during the 2021-22 winter season,” Rocca said. “The city’s roads, particularly class 1-3 roads, have been severely impacted and are in need of additional remediation.”
Class 1-3 roads represent some of the city largest and busiest thoroughfares, including Lorne, Paris and Regent streets; Notre Dame Avenue; The Kingsway; and Lasalle Boulevard. While they are made safer by the application of road salt as needed, it is corrosive and causes its own set of challenges.
Mitsubishi Mirage ES beneath the Sudbury Superstack Photo by Elliot Alder
“A comparison of Environment Canada’s daily max and min temperature statistics indicate approximately 44 freeze thaw events; 58 snow events with a minimum of 1 cm of snow fall; and 21 rain/freezing rain events with a minimum of 1 mm of rain,” a staff report noted. “Although the city’s class 1-3 roads are made to be safer with the application of salt as required, this practice can also create an artificial freeze-thaw condition, which is in addition to the natural freeze-thaw cycles experienced in the city as listed above.”
The city admits the roadways got hammered over the winter.
“The combined effects of freeze-thaw cycles; increased roadway moisture from precipitation; and aging infrastructure have resulted in a rapid deterioration of the city’s roads this winter season,” the report indicated.
Ward 11 Coun. Bill Leduc made an impassioned pitch for hot in-place asphalt recycling. While it is still at the test stage, Leduc said it could stretch dollars – essentially doubling a $6 million investment into $12 million – resulting in more remediation.
He said city hall owes “it to our residents to try to stretch the dollar as far as we can, especially as we have seen increases right across the board and we can no longer afford to have our residents pay. We’ve got to try something new here.”
Leduc introduced an amendment to include hot in-place asphalt recycling to the scope of the work that could be undertaken with the additional money. It passed narrowly – by a margin of 5-4 – largely because it could delay work due to the extended and expanded scope of the bid. But Leduc argued the delay could be as short as two weeks.
“We do have a pilot that’s not complete yet – it started last year from my understanding,” Ward 9 Coun. Deb McIntosh said. “We want to spend the $6 million this year and get it done, so I can’t support the amendment.”
Sizer said he wanted to wait for the results of the pilot project.
Ward 4 Coun. Geoff McCausland was also critical of Leduc’s amendment.
“I can’t support slowing down the process or jeopardizing the work; make sure it gets done this year,” he said.
Keyword: Sudbury allocates another 6 million dollars to fix city streets