Report suggests $40 million a year isn't enough to keep up with Calgary road deterioration

Spending more now on road quality will save money in the long run, suggests a new report from the City of Calgary.

Presented to the city's infrastructure planning committee during its Wednesday meeting, the Pavement Quality Level of Service report found the current condition of Calgary's road network — which spans about 17,000 lane-kilometres — is rated at 38 per cent good, 36 per cent fair and 26 per cent poor. 

According to the report, at the current annual investment of $40 million, the road deterioration rate would be 3.2 per cent.

"This means good condition roads will drop to 26 per cent and poor conditions roads will increase to 52 per cent by 2034," it reads.

Data from other municipalities indicates the Canadian national average is 61 per cent of roads in good condition, according to the city's website. 

Meanwhile, the city's infrastructure report also suggests that at least 60 per cent of major roads should be in good condition, and that funding should be set at a level to maintain that standard.

In order to head off major repairs in the future, city administration is recommending that paving investment needs to be $116 million annually over the next 10 years.

By using the funding boost to prioritize urgent repairs, "the city would avoid an estimated $600 million in future costs," according to Charmaine Buhler, the city's manager of construction and materials.

Buhler noted this would increases the percentage of streets maintained in good condition, reaching the following targets by 2034:

• Arterial roads (60%).
• Collector roads (54%).
• Local roads (42%).

Coun. Sonya Sharp for Ward 1 says infrastructure spending has been top of mind for Calgarians.

"We probably haven't been diligent enough to spend enough money on infrastructure over the years. Clearly we've seen it through our infrastructure through water, and now we're seeing it through roads," Sharp told reporters Wednesday.

"Prioritizing what Calgarians want us to prioritize is really, really important."

Pothole complaints up from 2023

Since 2011, Calgary's road network has increased by over 2,100 lane-kilometres, or 13 per cent. Every day, Calgarians are making over one million trips on roadways in poor conditions, according to the city's report.

"Every year, Calgary adds an average of 170 lane-kilometres of road to our network, which is roughly the distance between Calgary and Lake Louise," Buhler told the city's infrastructure planning committee.

"Our budgets have remained relatively static at an average of $40 million annually over the last three budget cycles."

What's more, the city says pothole repair requests for 2024 are up 52 per cent from last year.

Ward 14 Coun. Peter Demong says he often hears complaints about Calgary's roads from his constituents. 

"It's disappointing. Fifteen years ago, we were the top of the game with regards to roads and the condition they're in, and it's unfortunate that we've allowed them to deteriorate to the state they're in," he told reporters earlier Wednesday.

"Hopefully we can get this back up and running and get back into a good position. It's going to take a few years."

Nearly a decade ago, city council voted to cut spending on road repairs. Demong says there's a link between the lower quality of Calgary's roads today and that decision.

"This is one of those areas in a budget that you can allow to lapse for a certain amount of time and it's obvious that we have and now it's time to gear back up and say it's time to invest in our road network," said Demong, adding that he supports finding a way to spend more money on maintenance.

The city's Biannual Infrastructure Insights Report also says the annual average of $40 million for paving isn't enough to keep up with the rate that Calgary's roads are deteriorating. 

"Modelling shows that poor condition roadways are expected to increase at a rate of 2.2 per cent annually (from fair condition); good condition roads will also fall at a rate of one per cent per year," reads the report.

"To address these trends, work has been completed to establish a recommended level of service for roadways."

Last November, council approved an additional $23 million in Calgary's roads to be spread over 2024-26.

City council is again expected to discuss possible changes in funding for roads during its annual budget revisions next month.