St. Adolphe’s busy Main Street will soon be under much-needed construction. The province has announced that they’re getting ready to begin patchwork repairs to this busy commuter route.
Jon Lovlin of Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure (MTI) says that, while some of the street’s worst potholes have already been addressed, the balance of the work is scheduled to begin early this summer following flood clean-up efforts, which are still currently underway.
Despite the rough condition the street fell into after this year’s spring thaw, Lovlin clarifies that this will not be the year for a complete renewal of Main Street. Instead the usual hot mix asphalt patching is being planned.
“Currently, MTI does not have plans to resurface PR 200 in St. Adolphe,” Lovlin says. “However, as our province grows, traffic patterns change and evolve, and the department continually reviews and reassesses road safety across the provincial highway network. MTI will consider surface reconstruction on these routes in the future capital plan. In the meantime, our regional staff will continue to monitor and maintain these roads in safe condition.”
Lovlin suggests that similar patching will be done this summer on other provincially controlled streets within the RM of Ritchot to keep them serviceable.
“The Province of Manitoba has supported all small communities in the province by constructing and maintaining provincial access roads to commercial and industrial areas in these communities,” Lovlin says, speaking to the responsibilities of the province to maintain the roads they own, versus those that are owned by the municipality. “These roads support the heavy vehicles that are necessary for commercial and industrial activity in these small communities.”
He adds, though, that the province will look at any request from a municipality who wishes to assume financial responsibility for construction and maintenance to their roads.
Mayor Chris Ewen declined comment except to say that the RM is currently in negotiations with the province regarding road infrastructure in St. Adolphe and Île-des-Chênes.
