Mainroad will be clearing the highways in two areas on Vancouver Island, starting in September. File photo.
Mainroad has been awarded two new highway maintenance contracts for Vancouver Island.
The contract for Service Area 02, which is responsible for provincial roadways in the Nanaimo, Qualicum Beach and Port Alberni areas, has been awarded to Mainroad Mid-Island Contracting LP.
Mainroad North Island Contracting has been awarded the contract for Service Area 03, which covers the Comox Valley, Campbell River and Port Hardy areas.
Both contracts have a 10-year term and an optional five-year extension. The contracts are set to being on Sept. 1, 2018, the day after the existing contracts with Emcon expires.
This year and next, twenty-six of the 28 maintenance contracts in the province will be tendered and awarded through a staggered open-bidding process.
Here are some of the changes under the new contracts:
- Return Highway 19, Highway 4 and other Class A winter highways to bare pavement within 24 hours of a severe weather event. The previous standard was 48 hours at temperatures of -9 C or warmer.
- Expanded sweeping along cycling routes.
- Increased communication with the public to rapidly changing road conditions during severe weather events and other incidents affecting travel on B.C. roads.
- When a weather event is forecasted to occur, increase the patrol frequency to four hours in anticipation of the weather event. The previous standard was 24 hours.
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