HUMBOLDT — Humboldt is joining the queue to receive provincial dollars for repairs on Highway 20 and Highway 5.
City staff are anticipating changes to the Urban Highway Connector Program where the province would pay 70 per cent of capital improvements to Highway 5 and Highway 20, while the city would pay 30 per cent.
“It should be acknowledged that the Urban Highway Connector Program is short of funds typically from year to year,” Peter Bergquist, Humboldt’s public works director, told council at a special meeting Aug. 17.
The director said he’s not expecting the funds to be approved next year, but he wants the provincial highways ministry to know the city is interested in the repairs so it can put them in its budget.
For a $3 million Urban Highway Connector Program project in Melfort, it took a decade from when an agreement was signed to when paving actually took place.
The city’s first priority is to repave Highway 20 from Second Street to First Avenue South. The road’s base would be reconstructed to handle heavy truck traffic, especially in an urban situation.
That project would cost around $688,000. Council voted to commit around $206,000 so that it is ready if the Urban Highway Connector Program application is approved.
Repairs to Highway 5 are the city’s second priority. Some of the pavement would be milled off and then repaved in four locations: the eastern city limits to 104th Street, First Street to Seventh Street, Ninth Street to 16th Street, and 17th Street to the western city limits.
The cost of that would be around $2.4 million. Council voted to commit around $781,000 for the project.
Rob Muench, Humboldt’s mayor, said he likes having resources being directed to the two highways, especially if the province would pay for 70 per cent of the cost.
“I think it would be something that's very well received, because they are very well traveled throughout the city.”
