Deputy Mayor and Waverley-Fall River-Musquodoboit Valley councillor Cathy Deagle Gammon in this Feb. 2022 photo. (Healey photo)

FALL RIVER: The councillor for District 1 Waverley-Fall River-Musquodoboit Valley is going to ask that HRM looks at a gravel road paving program for gravel roads the municipality owns.

At the July 12 regional council meeting, Cathy Deagle Gammon said she has a motion on the agenda to be discussed.

The motion asks the CAO to provide a staff report on evaluating a potential Gravel Road Paving Program for HRM-owned roads.

It reads as follows:

That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to provide a staff report evaluating a potential Gravel Road Paving Program for HRM-owned roads that considers an annual funding allocation and the following prioritization criteria: 

  • Cost-benefit of paving
  • Existing road condition and level of maintenance
  • Road classification
  • Traffic volume
  • Storm water management
  • Winter maintenance
  • Surrounding public amenities such as parks, schools, lake access, etc.

It would further direct the CAO to:

“Undertake pre-engineering work on HRM gravel roads, in accordance with Regional Council’s current approved prioritization criteria, to ensure that Regional Council can consider paving up to $500K of HRM gravel roads as part of the 2023/24 budget process.”