The Council for the City of Winkler is ensuring three major road projects slated to happen this year get finished.
The projects include restoring the worst part of North Railway Street, that being the east half between Main Street and Highway 32 and constructing Park Street to further extend it from Boundary Trails to Northlands Parkway.
Scott Toews, Director of Planning and Engineering for Winkler, says Main Street intersection improvements at Stanley Avenue are also on the agenda.
"North Railway, the east half between Main Street and (Highway) 32, is anticipated to be completed this year, kind of restoring the worst part of North Railway in that area," said Toews. "Then constructing Park Street from Boundary Trails to Northlands Parkway, as well as Main Street intersection improvements at Stanley (Avenue), including some drainage work there as well, to help improve the drainage in that area."
So far, two of those projects have gone out to tender, North Railway and Park Street, and both came in a bit over budget for varying reasons.
"Information that we've gotten back from industry is that obviously with the increase in fuel cost, materials, labor, and equipment are big contributors to that as well. So, we were investigating options to make sure that our projects continue to move forward so that our road projects don't fall further behind over time."
Initially, council set aside 1.74 - million dollars for the three projects, however, due to inflation and an expanded scope of work planned for the North Railway restorations, up to an additional $515,000 has been approved for the work. Toews explains the additional funds will come from Reserves, as well as from any unexpected revenues that may occur over the year.