For years now members of administration with the City of Yorkton have been throwing up red flags regarding a growing deficit in terms of City infrastructure.
The reality they have spoken of often is one where a sidewalk in front of someone’s home is not likely to see replacement in the average residency in any given home.
Asphalt, sewer and water line, it’s the same situation.
That is of course not a situation unique to our city.
The Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association has taken the message to the provincial government, and has pushed it higher to the feds as well, because the costs associated with infrastructure renewal is beyond what a municipal tax base can manage. That is the case across Canada, and one mirrored in the United States as well.
And the message was again brought before the regular meeting of Yorkton Council Monday as a project to resurface a portion of Highway 10, and a portion of Mayhew Avenue was discussed.
In the next few years, the City will have the largest percentage of failing roadways it has ever faced, noted a report circulated to Council.
Trent Mandzuk, Director of Public Works with the City related it is extremely important to start conducting life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) for paving alternatives.
Initial project cost has historically been the determining factor for project feasibility, he continued. This decision making tool fails to consider expected asset life, maintenance and rehabilitation costs associated with an asset over its lifecycle and ultimately replacement costs of the asset at the end of its useful life.
The combined cost of the dual project nears $3 million, and while the province will fund near $2 million of the Highway costs, it is still a major investment by the City.
Yet it addresses a very small portion of the city’s overall road network.
A drive around the city this spring shows how much work is needed to be done as a vehicle bounces into one pothole after another on street after street.
The City has identified some needs already, such as a near $50 million complete redo of Broadway Street, a project which would replace subsurface infrastructure as well as pavement. That project would need significant funds from both the federal and provincial government to proceed, and again shows how much money will be needed as Broadway is but one of many streets which is showing its age both above and below ground.
While the problems can be seen, and are being talked about, how they can be addressed in terms of funding is still unclear.
Finding an answer which does not bankrupt governments from coast-to-coast will be paramount in the years ahead.
