On Monday, June 9, East Hawkesbury township council awarded a contract for paving on Concession 3 to Cornwall Gravel Company Ltd., coordinated through the United Counties of Prescott-Russell (UCPR). The road work will include fresh asphalt instead of a traditional surface treatment, at a cost of $544,000.
Five kilometres of Concession 3 will be repaved, stretching from County Road 14 to Cunning Road.
Surface treatments involve spraying liquid tar and applying compacted stone chips. This lower-cost method extends the life of a road between five to ten years.
Township staff told council that surface treatment for the same section of road would have cost $591,100 if tendered through an arrangement with the Township of Alfred and Plantagenet. In comparison, the UCPR-coordinated asphalt paving came in $47,100 cheaper than the surface treatment option at $544,000—or approximately eight per cent lower.
Council opted for the asphalt paving contract due to these cost savings and the longer expected lifespan. Asphalt tends to last between 15-20 years or longer with proper maintenance.
Council had initially budgeted $378,000 for the project. Staff said the remaining $166,000 would come from the deferred gas tax revenue fund.
The contract was unanimously awarded by council without further discussion. A construction start date has not yet been announced.
