Street & Sidewalk Repair

Repair work will commence in the Old Town, Village and Airdrie Meadows areas this week (weather dependent). Work includes removal/replacement of damaged concrete sections and grinding/patching of non-hazardous areas.
No-parking signs and barricades will be placed in areas where concrete will be removed. Crews will do their best to ensure that residents are given notice when access to homes or driveways is affected. Questions or concerns can be directed to Public Works at 403-948-8415. See MAP for affected areas.

From mid-March to mid-October, repairs are undertaken on the streets, lanes, curbs, gutters and sidewalks identified in the regular patrols and annual survey of conditions. All the repairs are prioritized and the most severe ones are scheduled first. Work is performed as weather permits.

Streets

Streets are maintained to provide vehicle traffic a safe, reliable road network. The following preventative maintenance work is performed when possible to extend the longevity of Airdrie's streets:

Potholes: Patched with either hot or cold mix products depending on time of year
Resurfacing Asphalt: improves the smooth surface for vehicles, a less costly alternative to reconstruction
Crack Sealing: Prevents water from penetrating down and damaging the road base
Gravel Perimeter Roads: Grading is performed as needed to maintain proper drainage and an even surface. Calcium chloride is applied for dust control.

Alleys

Alleys are maintained to ease back lane use. Lanes that are determined to have poor drainage may be reconstructed. The condition of alley aprons are assessed and necessary repairs considered as part of the Sidewalk Maintenance Program. The Public Works Department is responsible for two types of alleys.

Gravel: Graded twice a year and on an as needed basis to ensure proper drainage and an even surface, gravel is added as deemed necessary. Calcium Chloride may be used as a dust suppressing agent.
Asphalt: Potholes patched similar to those that would occur in the street.

Sidewalks

The Public Works Department completes an annual sidewalk rehabilitation program which commences in the spring once weather conditions allow. The Sidewalk Maintenance Program is carried out in order to provide a reasonable walking surface and level of safety for pedestrians.

Depending on the severity of the damage and safety considerations, the locations are identified and then classified based on the following priority basis:

Priority 1: These are locations considered in poor condition. This would include damages such as missing sections, severe heaving and large cracks or joints with excessive vertical displacements. Priority 1 areas are typically scheduled for replacement within the current budget year.

Priority 2: These are locations considered in average condition or where the issue is not an immediate safety concern. This would include cracking with no vertical displacement, minor heaving and settlements. Priority 2 areas are re-inspected annually.

Priority 3: These are locations considered good and the issue is not a safety concern. This generally includes aesthetic issues such as chips, hairline cracking and minor settlements. Priority 3 areas are monitored on the standard bi-annual basis.

Factors that are considered when scheduling the Sidewalk Maintenance Program include:

Avoiding areas scheduled for road rehabilitation as this program also involves replacing the damaged concrete. If necessary interim repairs or patches are completed to provide for pedestrian safety.
Repairing some Priority 2 damages when it is adjacent to a priority 1 to eliminate the need to revisit the area year over year.
Starting with areas containing the highest densities of combined Priority 1 and 2 damages. Concentrating in a single large area as opposed to small scattered areas allows for a more efficient and cost effective program as better pricing is offered when the work is concentrated in one location as opposed to scattered throughout the City.
Performing small scale repairs in-house allows for a quicker response to single section repairs.