City of Kingston Information Report to Rural Advisory Committee Report Number RAC

Transcription

1 To: From: Resource Staff: City of Kingston Information Report to Rural Advisory Committee Report Number RAC Chair and Members of Rural Advisory Committee Jim Keech, President and CEO, Utilities Kingston Sheila Kidd, Deputy Commissioner Operations, Transportation & Infrastructure Services Date of Meeting: Subject: Rural Road Repair Maintenance Executive Summary: The purpose of this report is to provide the Rural Advisory Committee with information on the various rural road maintenance programs managed by the Public Works Department. Many aspects of rural road maintenance are consistent with urban roads maintenance activities. Activities like winter maintenance (plowing/sanding/salting), pothole patching, ditching, shouldering, pavement marking, weed control, guide rails, and even gravel roads require similar maintenance approaches. Rural roads do require a specific philosophy and methodology to be maintained properly, often related to road drainage maintenance. Recommendation: This report is for information purposes only. 5

2 Page 2 of 5 Authorizing Signatures: Jim Keech, President and CEO, Utilities Kingston Gerard Hunt, Chief Administrative Officer Consultation with the following Members of the Corporate Management Team: Lanie Hurdle, Commissioner, Community Services Desirée Kennedy, Chief Financial Officer & City Treasurer Denis Leger, Commissioner, Corporate & Emergency Services 6

3 Page 3 of 5 Options/Discussion: Rural roads in the City of Kingston range from high traffic arterial roads to very low traffic residential gravel and dead-end roads. Many road maintenance service levels are based on road classifications, which are determined by average daily traffic counts and posted speed limits. Service levels for tasks such as snowplowing or pothole repairs are good examples of road classification prioritization. While there are similarities between rural and urban roads, special consideration is given to rural road maintenance to ensure the road and roadsides are safe and functional. Activities such as roadside grass cutting, roadside brushing, guide rail repairs, shoulder grading, and gravel road maintenance are predominately focused on the rural road network. Rural road maintenance programs include (but are not limited to): Gravel Road Grading and Maintenance Roadside Brushing Roadside Grass Cutting Noxious and Invasive Plants Shoulder Grading Guide Rail Repairs and Maintenance Drainage and Ditch Maintenance Pothole Repairs Anti-icing (prior to winter events) These programs take place at different times during the summer maintenance season. Many activities are planned for spring and early summer to address damage or issues that arise during the winter months (i.e. guide rail repairs, shoulder grading, gravel road grading, pothole patching), while others are location-specific and require investigation and prioritization (i.e. noxious weeds, roadside brushing, pothole patching). The gravel road grading and maintenance program is an example of a specific rural road maintenance effort that focuses on the rural nature of the roadway. The gravel road program was reviewed in 2016 in an effort to improve the condition of gravel roads by focusing efforts on long-term improvements and ensuring that time and materials are spent effectively. This review resulted in a program where grading and maintenance continues to take place annually on every gravel road, however road segments that can benefit from long-term repairs are prioritized and scheduled. In 2017, it was determined that maintenance efforts on Findlay Station Road would be more effective if Public Works did more than just apply new gravel to the road surface. Before applying any gravel to the road, crews performed roadside brushing to improve sightlines, performed ditch cleanout, replaced culverts, and removed rock to improve drainage. These improvements helped achieve the single most important concept in road maintenance removing water from the road. 7

4 Page 4 of 5 As a result, the granular surface of Findlay Station Road is expected to hold up much longer and require less annual maintenance now that the drainage, cross-fall, and sightlines have been corrected. Future projects are planned for other gravel roads. Another recent initiative to improve maintenance on rural roads is reclaiming gravel shoulders through a process that mulches the gravel and built up grass and sod along the edge of the road to re-establish the original shoulder width. This process leaves a windrow of tilled gravel and grass that is left to dry for several weeks, loosening the grass from the gravel material. A grader then grades the remaining material and establishes a proper shoulder cross-fall to improve drainage. Rural roads with asphalt or surface treatment surfaces require a coordinated effort between Engineering and Public Works, where Public Works maintains the road until such time that the road is scheduled for capital improvement or reconstruction. Engineering performs surface condition assessments and consults with Public Works when prioritizing projects. Existing Policy/By-Law: Notice Provisions: Accessibility Considerations: Financial Considerations: Rural road maintenance is included within current operating budgets Contacts: Damon Wells, Director, Public Works Department, , Extension 2313 Bill Linnen, Operations Manager, Public Works Manager, , Extension 1856 Other City of Kingston Staff Consulted: Mark Campbell, Director, Engineering, , Extension

5 Page 5 of 5 Exhibits Attached: 9