NORTH BATTLEFORD - The City of North Battleford is moving ahead with addressing the collapse of a signal light pole at Territorial Drive and 100th Street last year.
A special meeting of North Battleford council voted Tuesday in favor of administration’s recommendation that the four signal lights at that intersection be replaced, including poles, arms, wiring and controls, at an estimated total cost of $420,210 including PST.
That expense had not been included in the 2023 budget; the recommendation is to use the gas tax to pay for the replacement. The cost estimates presented are only preliminary.
The council decision comes following an incident last November where the south signal light pole arm at that north-end intersection fell down following high winds. Fortunately, no injuries or damage to property were reported.
Administration contacted Can-Traffic who then installed a smaller temporary signal light arm, though it had no advance green turning arrow on.
The city had asked consultants KGS to do an inspection of the damaged signal pole as well as the three other signal light poles and arms to determine whether or not those were in jeopardy as well, and to come up with a plan.
“In short, KGS has come back and said all four lights have to be done,” said Director of Operations Stewart Schafer at the council meeting.
KGS made known their concern about a similar failure happening in the future. KGS representatives on the line explained there was an issue with the design of the poles, with concern about whether it took into account the winds. They weren’t able to pin down the exact cause of why the pole went down, but their suspicion is insufficient thickness of the material used.
KGS also noted there have been similar situations seen elsewhere in the province. Their report stated that loads on the signal light poles and arms had exceeded their load capacity, and recommended all of the poles and arms be replaced and destroyed.
The options available were either to do work to replace all four light poles and electronic equipment in 2023, or to replace only the north and south poles for $274,050 and then do the remaining work on the east and west poles at an estimated $219,414 in 2024.
While that option would bring the cost down for 2023, it have meant additional costs to the City in the long run, so the decision is for all the work to be done in 2023.
In the end council unanimously voted in favor. Councillor Greg Lightfoot saying they had no choice given the safety issues involving the lights.
"We need to move forward with this in a very expedient manner to make sure that we're not held out liable on this," said Lightfoot.
The resolution passed Tuesday only is for approval to do the replacement of the signal lights, not for approving the tender.
Schafer said KGS has been asked to put out a request for proposals, and they will come back with those prices at a future council meeting.
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