Resolution 6-07A (as amended)
Bridge Repair or Replacement Program

WHEREAS, there are more than 2,200 bridges on municipal roads throughout the province; and

WHEREAS, many of these bridges were built in the 1950s and 1960s, and require extensive repair or full replacement, with an estimated cost of $250,000 to $450,000 per bridge, for either bridge replacement or culvert installation; and

WHEREAS, many of these repairs or full replacements are cost prohibitive to the rural municipalities of Saskatchewan due to the number of bridges within their jurisdiction;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that SARM lobby the Provincial Government to adopt a substantial increase in funding for a Bridge Repair or Replacement Program for the deteriorating bridge infrastructure within the rural municipalities of Saskatchewan.

Response from Honourable Harry Van Mulligen, Minister of Government Relations:

• Funding for municipal bridges was increased by $1.6 million in the 2007-08 provincial budget, to a total of $2.8 million.  This is an increase of 133%.
• The bridge repair and replacement program available to rural municipalities is funded through Rural Revenue Sharing and provides cost-shared assistance to municipalities to repair or replace bridges over 6 metres in length on Class 2 to 6 roads.  The assistance rate varies from 30% to 90%, depending on the municipality’s assessment, the number of bridge units in the RM and the size of the bridge.
• The bridge program is managed by the Department of Highways and Transportation (DHT).  DHT prioritizes requests from municipalities for bridge projects based on the classification of the road, traffic volumes and the available funding.
• For bridges damaged by natural disasters, such as major flooding, assistance is available through the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP), managed by the Department of Corrections and Public Safety.