By Pam Wright, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Chatham Voice
Chatham-Kent is about to explore going into debt to upgrade the municipality’s gravel roads.
A motion directing administration to explore an investment and debenture option – to the tune of $30 million – was put forward by Mayor Darrin Canniff at the March 3 Chatham-Kent council meeting.
Designed to “accelerate” the conversion of gravel roads to either asphalt or tar and chip, the motion passed 16 to 0.
According to Canniff, Chatham-Kent is spending about $2 million a year to convert gravel roads. However, he said money can be saved by “locking in the price,” to do more, as the price will only go up in the future.
“From an economic perspective, it makes good financial sense,” Canniff said following the meeting, noting it helps improve the system for agriculture.
“It allows us to increase our purchasing power and get more done sooner.
“We are taking a debenture and putting the roads in place now,” the mayor added, adding inflation on road construction goes up between eight and 10 per cent a year. Plus, he said, it will save costs on maintenance and gravel and be able to address roads that are in “significantly rough shape.”
Under Chatham-Kent’s current plan, only two to three kilometres of road are paved each year, he said, noting costs will likely double in the not-so-distant future.
South Kent Coun. Ryan Doyle said he agreed with the move.
“We can get way better value for our money now than we can in years down the road, so I think this is a great idea,” Doyle said.
The motion followed a report from infrastructure and engineering director Marissa Mascaro-Amyotte outlining capital projects on tap for 2025.
Mascaro-Amyotte told council that road and bridge assets are among the largest assets the municipality has to manage and plan for.
According to the report, Chatham-Kent has a total of 3,500 kilometres of roadways valued at $3.58 billion. There are 500 kilometres of road in urban areas, valued at $822 million and 3,000 kilometres in rural C-K, valued at $2.76 billion.
Assets also include 1,350 bridges and large culverts with a value of $1.16 billion. A total of 46 of those are located in urban areas, with a value of $194 million, with some 1,304 in rural Chatham-Kent, valued at $970 million.
Canniff’s motion was made prior to discussion around the farm tax ratio, which council opted not to touch.
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