The City of Timmins has been recognized by the Ontario Good Roads Association (OGRA) for paving work done on a 1.3-kilometre stretch of provincial highway.
The prize – the 2019 Municipal Paving Project of the Year Award – acknowledges successful collaboration between municipalities and producers with the Hot Mix Association (HMA). It was handed out during the organization's annual conference, held Feb. 23-26 in Toronto.
In 2019, the city and Miller Paving worked to pave 1.3 kilometres of Highway 101. It’s a main thoroughfare running east-west through the city, but also serves as a Connecting Link – roadway that comes under provincial jurisdiction.
Alternatively known as Algonquin Boulevard or Riverside Drive at different points along the route, Highway 101 runs for 21.2 kilometres through the city. It’s a notoriously rough stretch of highway, pockmarked with cracks and potholes and perpetually under construction.
The city has been working over multiple years to resurface the road, which, in 2017, was estimated to cost $120 million over 10 years.
Through its Connecting Links program, the province does provide municipalities with some assistance in repairing provincial highways.
“It is such an incredible honour for our teams to receive this award. The condition of our roads is something we often complain about, as our harsh winters wreak havoc on our infrastructure,” said Mayor George Pirie in a Feb. 27 news release.
“We are extremely proud of our teams and our local contractors for being recognized for excellence and innovation by Ontario Good Roads. Most of us have likely driven this new segment of highway and can attest to this job extremely well done.”
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The city said the project was unique, not only for the fact that it was four lifts of asphalt, but the fact that three different materials were created and used for the contract.
The paving methodology also consisted of paving from two different asphalt plants, utilizing a shuttle buggy to ensure consistency in the mix, paving the lanes in echelon three pavers wide, as well as paving continuously to ensure no transverse joints in any area within the 1.3 kilometres.
Total time to complete the project was eight days.
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