Whereas there is increased concern about the state of public roads in rural communities during and after major weather events; And whereas the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructures road classification system defines levels and response times for maintenance standards for each specific service area in order to prioritize service: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the provincial government to work with local governments to review the existing road classification system to consider reprioritizing the order in which roads are cleared or maintained; And be it further resolved that the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure increase funding for maintenance of secondary roads to ensure safe and accessible transportation options for rural communities.
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure Highway maintenance is one of the most important services we provide. Peoples safety is our top priority. To keep our highways reliable, the ministry brought in tougher standards for its maintenance contractors in recent years including increased proactivity in preparing for and responding to snowy weather, stricter commercial chain-up requirements, and improved winter maintenance standards. The ministrys maintenance contractors are required to monitor and respond to changing conditions and deploy enough workers, equipment and material to get the job done. The ministry constantly monitors contractors to ensure our high standards are being met, and our staff are out 247 during winter storms to ensure compliance. Maintenance standards are based on classifications which consider season, traffic volume and traffic type. Classifications are reviewed regularly to ensure they represent current traffic conditions and to ensure higher volume and priority roads receive higher levels of maintenance. Our Highway Maintenance Quality Plan includes capturing stakeholder feedback regarding their experience on the roads and interactions with the local maintenance contractor. Feedback received is shared with contractors to proactively enhance their service delivery for the benefit of all road users.