Motorists who use Ninth Avenue Southwest will have to navigate that uneven road for at least another year after the Ministry of Highways indicated it would make complete repairs by next fall.
Bevan Harlton, director of operations at city hall, met with a ministry official on Oct. 11 to discuss the repairs and when the province would fully address the situation, according to a report he presented during the Nov. 27 regular council meeting.
A summary of the meeting showed the ministry is completing a temporary road repair on the surface of Ninth Avenue Southwest, which will restore the cross-slope of the driving surface before winter. Moreover, freeze-up should slow the slide’s progression, which means the road surface should remain in good condition through winter.
Furthermore, the ministry is field testing the area as part of a heritage assessment after allegations were made that Aboriginal graves were in the area. The ministry will keep the City of Moose Jaw and Wood Mountain Lakota First Nation updated and provide results once it has them and knows what steps to take next.
The report noted that the ministry plans to issue a construction tender by next spring and then start that work in the fall. The current plan is to complete the berm and road surface work later next year; however, cold weather and bird nesting requirements will likely constrain the construction window from September to mid-October.
“As the road work needs to follow the berm repair, the ministry is working to confirm there is sufficient time available to complete both components of the work within the timeline,” the report stated. “The ministry is also working to confirm how the contractor will access the site.”
One concern council had during its October meeting was whether the city or ministry would implement weight restrictions or ban heavy vehicles such as semis over the winter. Harlton’s report indicated that weight restrictions and speed reductions are unnecessary since the ministry is still monitoring the site.
If the slope slide continues to distort the surface of Ninth Avenue Southwest before the ministry constructs the berm to the point where extra temporary repairs are required to ensure motorist safety, the province will take “reasonable steps” to repair the surface at its own cost, the report added.
Coun. Crystal Froese — who inquired about the road conditions in October — said during the Nov. 27 meeting that city hall should send out a news release about how the ministry plans to repair the road next fall. She has received many calls about this location and when it will be fixed; it’s 15 Wing employees who mostly use this road to reach the airbase and they are concerned.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Dec. 4.
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