With only a short time left in the construction season, officials from the City of Weyburn are asking for public cooperation and patience as crews continue to address extensive road repairs across the community.
In a recent interview, Mayor Jeff Richards shared a simple but crucial message for residents navigating the numerous construction zones.
“Be patient; be safe,” Richards urged. “You know, there's crews out there. Those individuals all have families to get home to every night, just like the rest of us. So, although there's lots going on, and that's great news, it sometimes can slow down our commute.”
This message of safety was echoed by City of Weyburn Communications Co-ordinator, Paige Tenbult, who highlighted how public non-compliance can slow things down even further.
“When people trespass into work zones, or we've noticed stealing of signs, that delays a project,” Tenbult explained. “And nobody wants that to happen.”
Addressing resident concerns that the city has fallen behind on road maintenance, Mayor Richards acknowledged the sentiment and pointed to a renewed focus from the current council.
“It's always easy to look in the rearview mirror, if you'll pardon my driving pun,” Richards said. “But what we know now is that we have to invest more. We have to have a better plan going forward.”
The current state of the road network is a result of several compounding factors. Like many cities in Western Canada, Weyburn is dealing with aging infrastructure. This challenge is magnified by harsh and unpredictable winters.
“The winters that we've had the last couple of years, where it'll be plus 8 in the morning and -28 in the evening," Richards explained. “What happens is as that ground starts to thaw a little bit, that water can melt, gets in the ground, and then freezes. It's just like if you freeze a plastic cup in your freezer at home. It just bursts.”
In response, the City is shifting its strategy from a historically reactive approach to a proactive, long-term plan.
“Council is trying to put that strategy and long-term planning in place so that we can move towards that proactive operation side of things,” said Tenbult.
This strategic shift is supported by several key initiatives, including an increased budget dedicated to roads, a new funding model under the Infrastructure Revitalization Program, and the implementation of a comprehensive Asset Management Plan. This plan provides a multi-year framework to prioritize projects effectively.
“What we have done with council and administration is prioritized road spending, number one, but also planning, and also increasing the budget dollars that go into road maintenance and road repair,” Richards confirmed. “We can't do what we did 20 years ago. This isn't the same Weyburn anymore.”
As the city works to get the construction in time before the snow starts to fly, officials reiterate that public patience and safe driving are essential to ensuring a smooth remainder of the construction season.