You might have noticed that Rafferty Dam was closed for a few weeks, as crews got to work on resurfacing the entire stretch, end to end. Now, the road is open for all motorists again, but the RM of Estevan says more work can be expected down the line.
Reeve Jason Leblanc shared that the work began due to the road on top of the dam, which he said was in poor condition.
"We were really upset with the top of the dam. It was a gong show. Working along with [the Water Security Agency],...we did the entire road from Highway 18 all the way to Highway 39. The signs are down, the road is open, but if it rains, the road is going to be slick, and we know that. We'll just keep adding a gravel-sand mixture until eventually, we're going to get it and it'll be just nice and smooth."
The solution that the RM came up with is a road stabilization product called MG30, created by Kortech Calcium Services. Leblanc said they've used this method on 30 miles of road in the municipality. For the RM, they saw two benefits that steered them into using this solution on a bigger scale.
"It's [magnesium] chloride in there, and that does the dust control. The other component is the secret recipe they tell us all the time; it's like KFC. It's got the secret recipe, but it's a hardening surfactant."
The mixture gets mulched into gravel, and it gets packed into the ground in layers. More gravel is added to the surface until it becomes hardened. He said that the solution is guaranteed to last at least 5 years, but he's heard reports of the solution lasting for over 25 years.
"It's not going to be pavement, but the idea is we're cutting down on maintenance. On that road, we can spend upwards of $400,000 a year on gravel, and it just seems to eat it. That's why we had to do something different. So this is gonna work. It's going to take some patience with everybody. If it rains, it gets a little sloppy, but it will eventually get it to where it won't be sloppy."
He applauded motorists for their patience and understanding during the project, as they caused little disruption during the height of the road closure.
"As of right now, the road is open. There's no more restrictions We we tried to work really good with the fishermen. I got to say 99% of the guys fishing out there are excellent. There's very very few that caused any grief, but the road's open now."
He further emphasized that some rain will make the road slippery, especially if it's a heavy downpour. Leblanc advises that when it does rain heavily, stay off the road.
The RM of Estevan and the Water Security Agency also agreed to build a service access road at the bottom of the dam to ease maintenance in the future as part of the multi-million dollar partnership.