With major past projects now paid off, Portage la Prairie is shifting its focus toward a more aggressive road renewal plan—doubling its typical road repair budget by redirecting federal gas tax funding.
Jocelyn Lequier-Jobin, the city’s director of operations, says this shift comes at a critical time, as changing winter conditions are accelerating road damage.
"We do have a lot of roads that have seen a lot of extra freeze-thaw cycles,” she notes. “It really does do a lot of damage to the roads.”
Crescent Road gets priority treatment
Rather than a standard asphalt overlay, the city has opted for a full reconstruction of Crescent Road. This year’s work will extend from Fourth Street West to Tenth Street West, following last year’s reconstruction from Tupper to Fourth.
Lequier-Jobin explains that the rebuild will include land drainage, large rock substructure, geotextile and geogrid reinforcement to prevent future pothole issues.
"We’re hoping we won’t see the kind of potholes we typically get on Crescent Road for a long time to come after we get all that done,” she says.
Underground prep critical to success
While reconstruction is expensive and generally reserved for high-traffic areas or roads with unstable subsoils, Lequier-Jobin points out that Crescent Road qualifies on both counts.
"Where there's silty soils that get wet, the road moves up and down,” she adds. “That's typically where you see swelling and instability during freeze-thaw cycles.”
The installation of geogrid—a durable plastic mesh—reinforces the structure and keeps the road intact even under shifting conditions.
“It helps so that one area doesn't just lift up. It all kind of holds together,” she continues.
Other roads on the 2025 list
In addition to Crescent, the city will be working on Lorne Avenue this year. Though not undergoing full reconstruction, it will receive an asphalt overlay due to traffic volume and drainage concerns.
“We’ve been cleaning drains to get everything running better,” says Lequier-Jobin. “That helps keep our road network in better shape.”
She also mentions that underground water and sewer renewals are often completed ahead of surface work to avoid digging up freshly paved roads due to future breaks.
Project timeline and phases
The three-year plan begins this year, with the ultimate goal of completing Crescent Road all the way to Yellowquill School by year three, funding permitting.
The current contract was approved at the most recent council meeting, and construction will begin as soon as crews can mobilize.
“We’re going to try as hard as we can to get it done before September,” Lequier-Jobin says. “That might move into school a little bit, but we’re working on it.”
Different crews will handle reconstruction and overlay work, meaning some projects may happen concurrently depending on scheduling.
Residents should expect delays
With multiple streets under construction and a multi-year timeline ahead, some detours are expected.
“This is the first year of the three-year program,” Lequier-Jobin confirms.
By next year, crews will move westward past 10th Street, eventually completing the full stretch toward the school zone if funds allow.
“That pretty well sums it up,” she adds.