One stop shop

Times Contributor

 

You often see large buildings pushing their way down the highway, flanked by pacer trucks, with workers scurrying around corners setting traffic lights to the side. 

Before these wide or overweight loads hit the road, they have to obtain a series of permits. One comes from the province if they are taking highway routes, but if the journey travels on county roads across various municipal lines, the companies must apply to each municipality separately, causing delays and confusion from one county line to another.

The province’s new Travis multi-jurisdiction permit program hopes to make the process easier. 

“My department, in partnership with industry and municipal governments, has developed a multi-jurisdiction permit, for over-size and over-weight vehicles. As previously advised, the new system is intended to be a more efficient permitting system that will enhance our services to industry by providing a one stop permit program,” said Minister of Transportation Wayne Drysdale.

The province set up an automated service that condenses the process to one permit-one fee (based on a formula that calculates km travelled through multiple municipalities and road type). The web-based system checks the plotted course and identifies axle weights, road specs and road bans, bridges, obstacles, clearance, road widths, inspection stations and any other specific data that may affect the movement of the product to its destination.

Municipalities have the option of agreeing to buy-in and provide data into the system, and in return access its information to monitor traffic of over-weight/over-dimension vehicles on their roadways.

“We are already a member of Travis, so it is easily accommodated,” said Wheatland County Transportation and Infrastructure manager Dave Churchill.

The program promoters indicate it helps industry by making application easier, allowing 24/7 access, giving immediate feedback on restricted  access  across multiple municipalities, access to trained consultants, reduced phone calls and mix ups. 

It allows municipalities to use the database for planning and roadway management, as well as offsetting some of the permit issue costs. The fee rate is set so no additional costs would be incurred by municipalities for participation. The system is geared to go online April 1, 2014.

 

Federal 

infrastructure 

money promised

There are $14 billion dollars in infrastructure money coming down the pipes from federal coffers, to municipalities across Canada. For complete details see: www.fcm.ca/home/issues/infrastructure/highlights-of-the-new-building-canada-plan.htm

It is promised over a 10-year period and divided in three components of: $4 billion national infrastructure, $9 billion for provincial and territorial infrastructure, and $1 billion for municipalities. Applications will be accepted by grants and decisions will be made on a priority basis with an evaluation criterion that is yet to be announced.

This may compensate a little for the shortages that were felt when the provincial government cut funds from municipal infrastructure funding, but Claude Dauphin, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, said he has some reservations about the plan.

“Municipalities own a significant majority of public infrastructure and for a fund that will span the next decade, we must be sure that that it is used accordingly. This is the only way to ensure that local governments can address infrastructure challenges in their communities. We are also concerned by rule changes that could force municipalities to carry a larger share of infrastructure costs in the future, the eligibility rules for local roads, the screening process for projects structured as public/private partnerships,” said Dauphin.

The money will be distributed through the New Building Canada Fund and will cover bridges, sewers, transit and other urban facilities. Spread over a nation with about 2,225 towns and cities, not counting a myriad of rural municipalities, a $1 billion outpour can quickly become a trickle. Based on just the 2,225, it averages out to about $450,000 for one application, which may cover the cost of approximately one water treatment project.

This comes at the same time counties all over the province are petitioning the Alberta Government to step up to the plate and reinstate provincial funding for bridge and culvert repair and maintenance.

They have banded together and initiated a letter-writing campaign, encouraging municipal councils to address the issue with the provincial government. Wheatland council has agreed to join with others and send a letter to the province. 

“It would be nice if they had block funding that they gave to each municipality, and let them make the decision where it would be used,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Manager Dave Churchill.