Five-year road improvement plan for Sooke
–Sooke PocketNews
At a recent pre-budget Council meeting at the District of Sooke (see page 70 of this January 22 2018 Committee of the Whole report), staff laid out a five-year plan for address the steady erosion of many roads in Sooke. The first three years were laid out in greater detail.
The five-year plan begins in 2018, with a budget of $700,000 ($150,000 from Casino funds, $500,000 from Gas Tax, and $50,000 from the Capital Asset Replacement budget). In this year, the District will address the sections of the following roads:
- French Road North: Galena Road to Otter Point Road;
- Helgesen Road: Otter Point Road to Woodgrove Place;
- Kaumareen Place: Eakin Road to end;
- Rojean Drive: Kaumareen Place to Christan Drive;
- Christan Drive: Eakin Road to Rojean Drive;
- Cedar Ridge Drive: end to Helgesen Road;
- Eakin Road: Otter Point Road to Cedar Ridge Drive;
- Belvista Place: Sooke Road to end.
Charters Road will also be looked at, in a separate project. In 2018, Sooke is planning to spend $100,000 on Charters Road Design. “An engineering consultant will be required to determine the best option for reinforcing/reconstructing the embankment at the Throup Stream crossing of Charters Road. An engineered design will be completed and used to apply for grants, so that the work can be tendered and constructed in 2019.” A main focus is pedestrian safety as this road connects subdivisions to schools. It will also focus on the ecological health and function of the watersheds, riparian areas and watercourses in that area.
Another $50,000 will go towards Beaton Road. “The purpose of this project is to produce a design for a curbed sidewalk on Beaton Road between French Road North and Otter Point Road. Completing the sidewalk design in 2018 will make the
work available to be tendered in the same package as the second year of the 5-Year Road Improvement Program, which involves rehabilitation along the same section of Beaton Road.” This project will provide a pedestrian connection between the Broom Hill neighborhood and Town Center.
In the second year (2019), the District will 2019 focus on roads in the Broom Hill neighborhood including
- Beaton Road
- The north end of Pyrite Drive
- Firwood Place
- Winfield Drive, and
- A segment of Grant Road between Winfield and Maple Avenue South.
The third year continues work in in the Broom Hill neighborhood on the roads south of Beaton Road, including
- Southern Pyrite Drive,
- Sections of Talc Place,
- Sections of Opal Place, and
- Sections of Grant Road.
Other minor projects include looking at the design of a sidewalk between Otter Point to Hope Centre, the design of Gatewood Road between Grant and Eustace, and addressing sightlines on Phillips Road.
It is expected that “repairs will enhance the safety of travel on the roads, and correlative sidewalk enhancements will improve pedestrian accessibility.”
One of the cost drivers for this maintenance identified in the report is that the historically low taxes in Sooke have meant that assets (ie, roads) have not been properly maintained, leaving the District to play catch-up.
The District has 67km of local roads and 22km of collector roads to maintain. Roads and sidewalks in Sooke are considered an asset of $52,960,121.
Seems like some big money being passed around. What skills do Councillors have to help them know if they are getting a good deal on road repairs?
I hope they remember that they will only use companies that have business licenses and have gone through a fair bidding process. By publishing these numbers ahead of time they are giving the bidders an advantage.
What an incredible statement that the streets are in poor condition because we haven’t paid enough taxes!! Where has all the money gone, some explanation are sadly lacking from Mayor & council.
Maggie Evans
billy always walkin
I drove home from Victoria last night and noticed a lot of wooden markers with reflective tape at the side of the road that I haven’t noticed before. I’ll assume they’re new. They were a huge help and I’d recommend them all the way.
Are they going to put in pedestrian controlled Crosswalks where the new bus pull offs are going ? If not that’s just foolish. So many people trying to cross trying to either get or get off buses, including school children, and bike commuters coming off the Goose . And a crosswalk is needed at Ludlow, so much activity in that corner, gas station, Brewery, farm market , bus. Stops, petting Zoo, a restaurant, again a place that is dangerous to cross when get to and from a bus.
househuntvictoria.ca/2016/04/05/municipal-tax-rates/
2015 rates – Sooke historically low? This shows that we are third highest. I have no water, sewer or sidewalks. Where does all the money go – especially with our roads being in such bad shape? I don’t even think our line was painted this year!
There will be a bus stop with a painted crosswalk at the gas station by Laidlaw. an actual covered bus stop on both sides.