Original Published 16:07 May 11, 2022
By Brenda Sawatzky, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
It’s spring, and invariably that means it is also pothole season. This year, after months of extreme weather, it comes as no surprise that there’s nary a street in the entire province that isn’t badly pocked and marred with nasty sinkholes.
On Monday, May 9, the provincial government announced its intention to sink a little extra funding into this summer’s road repair budget.
The additional $15 million for pothole repairs will be split between Winnipeg and the 137 province’s other municipalities, with Winnipeg receiving the biggest cut at $9 million.
“This funding will help our municipalities deal with the increased costs of road maintenance brought on by this unexpected weather,” says Springfield-Ritchot MLA Ron Schuler. “[It’s] caused a significant increase in damage to our roads, and our government is committed to aiding municipalities in offsetting the associated costs.”
Schuler is pleased to report that $70,224.84 will go towards pothole repair initiatives in Niverville and another $88,197.30 is designated for the RM of Ritchot.
As this funding notice is brand-new, CAO Mitch Duval of the RM of Ritchot says that it’s still too soon to prioritize how the money will be allocated.
One frequently cited street of concern is Main Street in St. Adolphe. But since that road falls under provincial jurisdiction, Duval anticipates that the funds will be used in other places.
With flood efforts and washed-out roads still the RM’s primary concern, it may be a while before the municipality can even assess the full extent of the damage to their transportation networks.
This item reprinted with permission from The Niverville Citizen, Niverville, Manitoba
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