Council approves updated Master Plan to guide rural road maintenance

Strathcona County Council has approved a new Sustainable Rural Road Master Plan to guide how all 1,300 kilometres of rural road are maintained and improved. 

Last updated in 2010, the new master plan addresses current and long-term use of the rural road network, as well as safety and maintenance improvements.

Road infrastructure investments—from maintenance and upgrades to new road construction—are all managed carefully through the County’s master plans. 

Public engagement was an important part of the master plan update, with the County collecting input through in-person and online forums from 2019 to 2021.  The top three themes heard through residents’ feedback related to the condition or quality of the road surface, the amount of traffic, and the narrow width of some roads. 

“The needs of residents and road users in our community have changed a lot over the last 10 years,” says Mayor Rod Frank. “The new master plan will address resident concerns and ensure long-term sustainability of our rural road network.”

During public engagement, 246 participants attended the open houses; 223 comments were received on the road maps provided; 116 surveys were filled out at open houses; and 19 residents commented on the draft recommendations.

The 2021 Master Plan includes several recommendations, that focus on four key areas including: 

• Improving safety and sightlines at rural intersections
• Updating road classifications and design standards for road widths based on traffic volume and mixed traffic use
• Implementing new processes for evaluating and prioritizing road network investments
• Creating new rehabilitation guidelines to meet best practices

The County will take a phased approach to implementing the recommendations, with short-term and medium-term actions over the next six to 12 months and long-term actions over the next couple years.

The updated Master Plan is available at strathcona.ca/srrmp.

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Contact: Strathcona County Communications, 780-410-6595