MOOSE JAW, Sask. – Like most cities in western Canada, Moose Jaw’s roads appear to have been hit by land mines since the snow melted.
The situation is so bad, even Mayor Deb Higgins acknowledged work needs to be done. “Roads in a number of areas are terrible,” she said.
Temporary cold patching simply is not cutting it, but the city is concerned about investing money into roads that will soon be torn up.
“The problem we have right now is our underground infrastructure, meaning sewer and water service connections, are in even worse shape,” Higgins said.
The cast iron pipes have passed their expiration date. Full of build-up from years gone past, they keep cracking or imploding, causing costly repairs.
According to Higgins, that is about to change, starting this spring.
“We are embarking on what is going to be the infrastructure rebuild in probably the history of the city,” she said.
Moose Jaw is investing at least $117 million dollars to fix both the roads and the piping underneath.
The project will take 15-20 years to complete, as there are more than 80 kilometers of crumbling pipe throughout the city that need to be replaced.
For taxi driver Robert Weber, who has been driving these roads day in and day out for 40 years, the repairs can’t happen soon enough. He said he avoids pot holes as best as he can.
“Dodge two small ones, hit the big one. They’re all filled in with water, you can’t see what the heck’s underneath them. Down this alley here, there’s a big one. You could bury a good-sized dog in it.”
When asked for his thoughts on the road conditions, Weber intentionally holds back.
“If I were to say it in my language, you wouldn’t like it,” he laughed, “They’re crappy … It’s a disgrace to the city as far as I’m concerned.”
One of the biggest problem areas in the city is a high-traffic section of the Manitoba Expressway. Right now, it features more mud than pavement.
It is also a major truck route, especially for the livestock and refrigeration semi-trucks coming from Gibson International just south of the city.
“It seems like we had it closed most of the winter, which makes it tough for us. We come in on the number 2, we use Manitoba Street,” said Dean Lang, the carrier company’s owner.
“We’re constantly detouring and we bring other carriers out here that aren’t familiar with the city of Moose Jaw, and it isn’t easy to detour with truck routes,” he said. “You’re going on streets that aren’t wide enough, the corners aren’t large enough for semi trucks, and it’s been frustrating. “
The condition of the roads also affects vehicle maintenance.
“It’s hard on suspension and shocks, especially when loaded,” said Lang.
All he wants to see is change, now.
“Just fix it. Redo the whole thing.”
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