Municipality of Taber

Road construction

Road construction services are required primarily to build or reconstruct roads within the MD of Taber. Activities include engineering, road building, reconstruction, roadway drainage, fence removal and replacement, relocation of utilities from right-of-way and crop damage reimbursement.

Safe and efficient operation of equipment and general workplace safety is a top priority. Road construction focuses on future road development, assistance with road maintenance, and improved quality and safety of rural grid roads and country residential roads.

Chip sealing

Chip sealing replaces the gravel chips that protect the base of a road by acting as a wearing surface. The MD of Taber’s chip sealing program begins as soon as weather and road conditions permit, typically in late June.

• Roughly 10 per cent of the MD's roads have a finished topcoat of gravel chips.
• Roads are re-chipped on a 3-5 year cycle, depending on traffic volume.
• While crews are re-chipping a road, it remains open for traffic. Motorists should expect delays and reduce speeds whenever approaching road maintenance crews.

Culvert replacement

Culverts serve an important function in the management of water flow in the MD of Taber. Culverts are typically built under roads, approaches, highways, structures, or pathways to prevent runoff and allow the movement of water underneath.

The MD of Taber routinely inspects and repairs damaged culverts. In recent years, the MD of Taber has upgraded the diameter of select culverts to improve stormwater management and reduce flooding issues in some areas.

While most culverts needing repair or replacement are identified by Public Works staff, residents can also report a problem if they notice excess water build-up on their property.

Bridge replacement

The MD of Taber has 158 bridges and bridge-sized culverts (those with a diameter of more than 1.5 meters) within its boundaries. The majority of these were built between 1950 and 1970. Since they generally have a 50 to 60-year lifespan, many of the structures have been starting to show their age. 

Accordingly, the MD of Taber has been proactively replacing these structures each year. The Government of Alberta's Strategic Transportation Rehabilitation Program (STIP) helps municipalities with costs associated with bridge file replacements. Other related programs include:

• Periodic grass mowing around bridge structures to maintain traffic sight-lines, and to reduce fire hazards
• Formal inspections of bridges and culverts with a schedule ranging from yearly (on older structures) to once every 5 years (on newer structures)