A request to the District of Houston to pave Hols Road won’t be going anywhere.
“Compared to funding needs in other areas, it is not economically feasible to pave Hols Road,” wrote District chief administrative officer Gerald Pinchbeck in a report to council.
“Instead, the existing maintenance program for this asset should be maintained going forward,” he wrote of the road which connects to the Morice River Forest Service Road.
Based on a deep dive into District records, staffers determined the road was constructed approximately 20 years ago to a gravel standard with no provision for an asphalt overlay.
And with road construction standards and property development standards having changed over the years, “the existing base would need to be excavated and reinstalled,” Pinchbeck’s report indicated.
“Additionally, significant volumes of wood fibre have accumulated in the road surface, shoulders, and base, which interferes with compaction of material and promots moisture retention.”
“The base would need to be excavated and rebuilt to paved road standards to prevent warping and deterioration of the existing asphalt surface,” the report continued.
A rough estimate placed the paving cost at $351,000.
Pinchbeck noted that ongoing maintenance is generally effective, at a cost varying between $2,000 and $5,300 a year.
Pinchbeck further noted that the District has an ongoing capital investment deficit for existing road networks.
And he listed nine roads requiring significant expenditures as it is.
“Upgrading the service level to paved road woud compromise the integrity of the District’s road asset management plan and place further strain on capital and maintenance funding going forward,” Pinchbeck wrote.
“Investment in this specific asset could disrupt progress on renewing other assets in the District’s inventory.”
Based on Pinchbeck’s report, council decided to receive and file.