Emergency repairs not a permanent fix at landslide site

An emergency repair to a road after a landslide earlier this summer cost the County of Grande Prairie more than $500,000, but that will likely not be the end of landslides in the area.

County council approved a request for decision from Transportation and Utilities General Manager Ryan Konowalyk at the Sept. 8 regular meeting, to direct administration to identify a funding source for the emergency road repair, which totalled $580,000, before upcoming 2027 interim budget meetings.

The slide, which took place June 29 on Twp. Rd. 713, just west of the Aspen Ridge subdivision, east of the city, reduced the road to one-lane and required immediate traffic accommodation. The work involved accelerated utility locates and relocations, offloading and hauling of significant material to reduce the slide mass, and construction of two new lanes to the north of the previous lanes.

Konowalyk added that affected residents received hand-delivered communications throughout the repair, and that two-lane traffic was re-established on July 12.

“While this emergency repair has re-established two-lane traffic, it is not a permanent repair,” he said, noting there are several active slides in that valley but since the repair work there has been little movement.

“Right now, the instrumentation that’s in place since we’ve reduced the slide mass and moved the road north has actually shown no further movement right now, so we’re feeling pretty good about that,” he said.

Konowalyk explained the Bear Creek twists and turns below and during high water events, the water carves out the curves of the valley, and when the bottom of the bank erodes, everything above is affected.

“It started moving from the bottom really fast, and that’s when the top failed,” he said. “So that’s why we say this is likely not the permanent repair, but because it’s showing no movement since the emergency repair, we do feel confident that we have a little bit of time at least to come at budget and think of some permanent repairs through this corridor.”

Reeve Amanda McDonald said she has spoken to people in the area, and although some were frustrated trying to get through the closure, most reported they were satisfied with the work.

“I think in general, everybody was very, very happy with the solution,” she said.

Coun. Brian Lieverse asked if any alternative routes through the valley had been explored yet, recognizing that it may not be the cheapest option but may be the better option in the long run.

Konowalyk confirmed there are two other access routes that have been looked at.

“There’s a couple of other ways in and out of there, and that’s part of what we want to bring to interim budget,” he said. “What makes sense long term? Is it to stay on this alignment and deal with the repairs, or is it to possibly look at the other accesses?

In 2024, the county undertook geo-hazard and flood-hazard investigations at several locations to help manage the risks associated with slope instability, outfall failures and severe weather impacts along water and infrastructure corridors.

“The initial geo-hazard investigation that was approved during 2024 final budget has established the need to create an annual geo-hazard investigation program as well as plan for future landslide repairs,” Konowalyk told council.