Farmers protest proposed paved road

By Sharon McLeay Times Contributor

Most people would like to have a paved road by their properties; however, for four farmers along a proposed paved road, there are issues.
They are concerned about increased traffic going at higher rates of speed, increased crime possibilities, safety concerns for family members and employees, accident potential, setback questions for existing buildings, barns and pastures, and structure alterations to the road that will affect moving cattle and farm machinery.
“My family and many other farmers that live on (township road) 250, or use 250, have concerns of what negative impact this will have on our farm businesses,” said Paul Damen.
Damen’s father invited council to visit the site, so they can assess the need to hold off on the paving.
The farmers were also dismayed about the notification processes and the lack of communication about the change in paving plans that slated the road for development this summer, and their inability to give input prior to the plans’ commencement.
The road in question is Township Road 250 east of Range Road 245 toward Highway 21.
Wheatland County staff indicated engagement meetings for road plans were held last year and they anticipated a public landowner meeting for this specific section to be held in March. There has been $13,000 spent on engineering and design for this section to date.
Landowners said it seemed paving was a foregone conclusion. If the engagement was held in March and construction begins in the summer, it leaves little room for cancelling the project. Damen said previous road engagements did not address this individual project and he would prefer a case-by-case consultation for road projects.
Reeve Amber Link said council is looking at changing how public engagement is done.
“My biggest concern is that we are not engaging enough, before we make those decisions,” said Link.
Councillor Scott Klassen said they were following a plan developed by previous councils and were trying to reduce a high collision section of the highway. He said there is a developer that would be paying for part of the paving on the road, and requests about access to the grain elevator were also a consideration in making the original plan.
There was some talk about access to Highway 1 that may require an overpass in the future, which meant a connector road would be a less expensive option for the county. After consideration, given the amount of information and concerns voiced by the farmers, he agreed the road program needed review, and the process needed more transparency and public engagement.
Damen said he felt there were plenty of nearby paved surfaces in the area that people could use, such as Highways 564, 21 and 817.
“It is a major road for farmers. We transport large equipment, cattle, grain and other commodities down this road. We have Highway 1, but it is not good for slow-moving equipment. It is very dangerous,” said Damen. “There is absolutely no need to have that road paved.”
He would rather have the county do dust control than spend $1 million a mile on paving the road.
Former Wheatland County councillor Rex Harwood concurred that it is a major road used by agricultural producers in the county. He hoped council was not making decisions to appease acreage owners. He said it takes a lot of acreage taxpayers to pay for a paving that costs $1 million a mile. He said if there are enough people opposed to pavement the money would be better spent on dust abatement.
“I think everybody would appreciate if we took a step back and said, OK, we are not going to rush this through and have these engagements, and then everybody gets a say,” said Harwood. “Typically, with a 10-year road paving program, it was 10 years, and we knew those roads would move from year to year, so you really didn’t get too excited about them until the second year prior to the project. A road gets dropped and one gets bumped up and I am not sure where that comes from. Did council approve the changes and why did you drop a road?”
Councillor Ben Armstrong clarified the historical intent to pave roads in the county was so no one would have to go further than four miles to access a paved road. However, in recent years the process has altered, and the short road program was dropped. Strategic planning may remove or place a road on the current or following year’s construction agenda.
Harwood said farmers are signing easements, only to have the roads taken off the plan without notification and that is confusing. He also said there are a lot of rumours in the community and clarification is needed to reassure farmers that their interests will be protected in the road plans. He suggested paving Highway 564 would be a better option.
Councillor Jason Wilson said the consultation process needs work, but the move will save money, and farmers in his district have learned to deal with paved roads.
Armstrong voiced his appreciation and understanding for the farmers’ concerns, but qualified that acreages originally came from a landowner requesting the ability to subdivide their farms. He said once that land was sold, those acreage owners have the right to make their opinions heard like everyone else and he said council’s direction comes from input of all the ratepayers. However, historically the county has supported agricultural interests.
“In my area, I have been sitting here for 27 years and I never had a bunch of ratepayers come in and say they don’t want the road paved,” said Armstrong. “It’s a new one for me.”
The discussion led to the road being taken off the 2019 paving program, pending review of the program and input from the residents. The public engagement process will also be reviewed at Wheatland County council’s planning and priority meeting.