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County recommends increased funding to avoid road deterioration

A grey corroded and worn out road surface is foregrounded in most of the image. Darker stains and scoring are scattered throughout. A gravel border exists on the left side with green and yellow vegetation on the far left side. Further off are larger yellow and black traffic pylons.
A surface treated road in Prince Edward County (circa 2014). Photo from the Prince Edward County public record.
CJPE - 99.3 FM - CJPE - Picton • ON | 16-01-2023
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Prince Edward County heard an update from staff on the state of roads in the county, ahead of the 2023 municipal budget, on Thursday.

Based on a novel asset management software, staff have determined that the condition of the county’s 864 kilometers of public roadway assets are on average “fair,” with a total replacement cost of $826 million (calculation excludes 164 kilometers of gravel roads and the concrete Highway 49).

Staff also recommended a “five-year phase-in” to a new and higher target funding level that would allow an average road condition of “good,” over the long-term.

Committee members had many questions about which roads would be prioritized for improvement, while talk of downgrading some of them to gravel was also discussed. Picton Coun. Phil St-Jean summarized the current road situation in the county:

Prince Edward County roads in 2022 took the third and fourth place in CAA’s annual Ontario Top 10 Worst Roads.

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