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At current spending levels, Regina is fighting a losing battle with the condition of its major and local roads.
A new report from city administration, presented at Wednesday’s executive committee meeting, shows that 91 per cent of major roads in Regina are currently rated as fair or better. The city’s target is 100 per cent.
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When it comes to local roads, just under 77 per cent are currently rated fair or better, while the city’s target is 85 per cent.
But at current spending levels, local roads are expected to deteriorate to the point where just 67 per cent will be rated fair or better in 10 years, with that number falling to 49 per cent in 25 years.
The number of major roads rated fair or better is expected to decline to 69 per cent in 10 years and 22.5 per cent in 25 years, the report indicated.
“It highlighted what we know to be true,” Mayor Chad Bachynski said.
“It highlights that we’ve been under-investing in our infrastructure, and so we’ve got good data. It shows where we need to invest.”
Concrete infrastructure, including sidewalks and curbs, was broken out separately for the first time in the report. Concrete components are actually rated above the city’s 85 per cent target, and the report suggested that number could improve to 100 per cent in 25 years at current spending levels.
In fact, the report noted, a reduction of $1.6 million in annual spending on concrete infrastructure would still keep the level of service above the city’s target, even 50 years out.
Bachynski said that could be an opportunity to redirect some money towards road improvements, even though that figure is a drop in the bucket.
“We’re talking about tens of millions of dollars every year for 25 years in that report,” the mayor said.
“But when we can redirect funds from one to the other, it’s another project or part of a project that we can do that maybe we couldn’t before.”
Regina Mayor Chad Bachynski says the data in a new road condition report will help council make decisions at budget time. (Geoff Smith/980 CJME)
The report said an increase in annual spending on local roads from $8.5 million to $15.2 million would get them up to a level where 79 per cent are rated fair or better in 10 years, with that number projected to hit 88 per cent after 25 years.
For major roads, to reach the 100 per cent target in 10 years would require the city to increase its annual spending from $5.6 million to $25.6 million.
Given the city’s strategic imperative to raise taxes by no more than 5.81 per cent next year, Bachynski said it might take a change of priorities to get Regina closer to those targets.
“City admin. is going to bring back a budget that shows us what that means,” he said. “I’m guessing there’s going to be trade-offs in that for sure, and that’s what we’ll have to debate.”
The report indicates that road maintenance is a high priority for Regina residents. The city’s 2025 citizen satisfaction survey found roads, sidewalks, snow and garbage were identified by one in four residents as top spending priorities.
One option the report explored was whether the city should shift from preventative maintenance to repairing the roads in the worst condition first. But while doing so would increase the number of roads in poor condition that get fixed each year, the report suggested the city would actually fall even farther behind when it comes to the overall level of service.
