Navigating Bowen’s roadways may get easier now that the municipality has increased the capital upgrade program budget. Council recently passed a resolution in June adding $200,000 to the amount to be spent on annual expenditures for roadwork, bringing the annual total to $500,000.

Wil Hilsen, the acting public works manager for BIM, told Council that staff proposes an ambitious 2009 Roads Capital Plan program, combining preventative maintenance, rehabilitation and construction techniques in an effort to maintain the quality of good condition roads, repair poor quality roads and to expand the capital infrastructure by constructing more roadside trails. Fixing problem areas now, rather than waiting until conditions worsen, would save the municipality considerable expense in the long run, said Hilsen. He noted that the cost of maintaining safe roadways has risen in part because of the anticipated truck traffic associated with the development of large subdivisions.  

For every $1 you spend in rehabilitative costs, you save $45 for a new road, Hilsen told Council. Severe winter conditions have taken their toll on Bowen’s roads, he said.

It is envisioned that this year’s road capital plan will first address poor road conditions on Grafton Road including the replacement of several culverts for Terminal creek. Localized rehabilitation and reconstruction on Taylor Rd and Channelview Rd, as well as traffic safety improvements along Dorman Rd are of secondary importance. Repairs on all of the aforementioned roads will be accompanied by surface treatment.