Get your bids on.

City of Cranbrook council last night (April 2) unanimously approved its 2012 Roads Capital Program, with a $2,474,672 budget.

And now – as many residents in the city feel their roads need the most work done the fastest – here are the winning streets and avenues set to receive makeovers for the upcoming year.

The largest recipient of taxpayer funding will be 2A Street South, between 17th Avenue and 20th Avenue South.

Described by city engineer Jamie Hodge as “terrible,” 2A St. South between 17th and 20th Avenues will be fully reconstructed, with a water line installation at a cost of $624,500.

Two blocks on Second Street South will receive $584,000 in work. The cost to

do the entire strip between Highway 3 and 11th Avenue South will cost taxpayers more than $2.3 million.

The city will spend $553,000 on 14th Avenue South, between 12th Street to 13th Street South, and a further $471,700 will be expended on 4th Avenue South from Larch Drive to 12th Street South, with full reconstruction and water line installation planned.

To complete 2011 budgeted work on 14th Avenue South, between 10th Street to 12 Street South, the city has budgeted $280,100 and $172,600 will be spent on work on 1st Street South between 9th Avenue and 11th Avenue South.

Finally, on the Priority One Projects list on the city books, is $140,600 in work on 21st Avenue North, from 12th Street to Kootenay Street North.

Along with the Priority One work list, topping out at $2,826,500, there is a Priority Two with a wish list of $2,707,100 in work and Priority Three projects valued at $2,758,000.

In total, the city needs “in excess of $19 million” in priority work to its roadways, noted Mayor Wayne Stetski.

“It’s very difficult to pick which roads to work on in Cranbrook,” he said, praising the engineering department for its work determining which road needs the most immediate attention.

“The decision on which roads get done does have some science to it,” Stetski said.

The city can only piecemeal work each year, Stetski said, otherwise taxpayers would be hammered by massive increases, noting that each $200,000 added to city expenditures means an extra $2 a year in property taxes per owner.

“It’s a long term challenge for council and for taxpayers,” Stetski said.

One council member was pleased with the announcement of the priority projects. Coun. Gerry Warner, a resident of 2A St. South, noted, “I happen to live on one of these roads here and this decision – I had absolutely nothing to do with,” he declared.

“I am pleased the city is going to be able to spend that much money,” remarked Coun. Angus Davis. “It’s not just fixing the roads but fixing the infrastructure of the municipality.”

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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