Town officials took steps recently to help address the poor condition of gravel roads in the municipality.
At its last May meeting Erin council approved its regular purchase of maintenance gravel as well as an additional gravel purchase to help address some of the worst roads in the town.
“We’re doing the bare minimum and it’s not really working that well,” Roads Superintendent Larry Van Wyck said about current town practices when it comes to gravel application.
He told council there are things town staff can do to conserve gravel but it has gotten to the point the municipality has to do something to address problem areas, the majority of which are north of County Road 124.
Van Wyck recommended council accept the Cox Construction quote of $325,125 for the supply of 42,500 tonnes of maintenance gravel (not including trucking costs).
He explained 24,000 tonnes of that gravel could be used on roads in the northwest corner of the town, with the remainder used on the Erin-Halton Townline.
Van Wyck also recommended accepting a CBM Aggregates quote of $126,350 for the supply of 19,000 tonnes of gravel (also not including trucking costs), to be used on the roads in the town’s northeast quadrant.
He said the gravel from the two contracts would cover slightly less (38 millimetres)than the desired thickness (45mm), but it will allow the town to address most of its problem areas.
“While it looks like a lot of money, it really doesn’t equate to much gravel on the roads,” Van Wyck said of his proposed program, which he noted would have to be completed again within three years.
Considering gravel prices and the town’s ongoing need for aggregate, VanWyck even suggested the municipality may want to look into purchasing a property and operating its own gravel pit, similar to what East Garafraxa does now.
Councillor Barb Tocher noted that means the town would have to pay for the land as well as crushing and trucking costs.
Van Wyck agreed but said those costs would be similar to what the town pays now on regular gravel purchases. Plus, by owning its own pit the town could control price, he added.
Council unanimously approved both gravel quotes recommended by Van Wyck, at a total cost of $451,475 (plus taxes and trucking costs).
