By Greg Fry

Province awards highway maintenance contract for Kamloops area

Sep 25, 2018 | 9:22 AM

KAMLOOPS — The provincial government has awarded a maintenance service contract which it says will better serve transportation routes in the Kamloops area.

The 10-year contract was awarded to Argo Road Maintenance, which currently has the contract for the area. The contract also has an optional five-year extension. It goes into effect Oct. 1, 2018.

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure says the contract will “require higher standards and a more proactive approach when a severe weather event occurs.” 

The contract will include the following improvements:

• Increased communication with the public to rapidly changing road conditions during severe weather events and other incidents affecting travel on B.C. roads.
• Return Winter Class A highs to bare pavement within 24 hours of a winter weather event ending at pavement temperatures of -9 C or warmer, when de-icing chemical use is safe and effective. The previous standard was 48 hours.
• Increase patrol frequency to 90 minutes on a Class A highway, like the Coquihalla, during a winter storm. The previous standard was four hours.
• When a weather event is forecasted, increase the patrol frequency to four hours. The previous standard was 24 hours.

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Under the deal, the ministry says contractors will be required to be more proactive prior to a winter weather event occurring, and to spread anti-icing chemicals prior to the weather event.