Transportation Master Plan being finalized for M.D. of Taber

Posted on October 3, 2024 by Vauxhall Advance

By Trevor Busch
Vauxhall Advance
editor@tabertimes.com

With sights set on the creation of a Transportation Master Plan, the Municipal District of Taber has been seeking the input of area residents about locations of concern in the municipal road network and what they would like to see improved.

To that end, the M.D. hosted two open houses last month for the public, with the first at the M.D.’s operations office near Barnwell, and a second at the Vauxhall and District Seniors Centre.

The meetings presented the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) update, focusing on developing flexible processes to enhance infrastructure and support evolving transportation needs. Key objectives included safety, network maintenance, and public outreach. Data collection involved geographic data, field assessments, and public engagement, resulting in 60 attendees at open houses and 100 survey responses. The plan identified 35-45 critical linkages for upgrades, with cost estimates ranging from $1.1 million per kilometer for class 1 paved arterials to $555,000 for enhanced collectors. Recommendations included improving communication and leveraging industry partnerships and grant funding for cost-effective solutions.

At the Vauxhall meeting, Darren Newell with Al-Terra Engineering talked about the project’s vision to develop flexible processes and procedures to enhance infrastructure and support evolving transportation needs. The vision includes providing a safe and efficient transportation network where people and commodities can travel safely and commodities can be moved efficiently.

He listed eight key objectives, emphasizing safety, network maintenance, and flexibility to accommodate various user needs.

The team identified three steps in the TMP process: data collection, transportation network analysis, and the TMP report.

Connor Smith, a planner with Al-Terra, took over to discuss the public engagement process, including geographic data, field assessments, and stakeholder consultations.

Smith highlighted the importance of public feedback through open houses, online surveys, and stakeholder roundtable meetings. He detailed the public engagement activities, including two open houses in Taber and Vauxhall, and an online version for those unable to attend in person.

The feedback received from the public and stakeholders covered various areas of concern, such as gravel roads, washboard, and maintenance issues. The team identified major themes from the stakeholder consultation, including the need for efficient solutions and addressing gaps in the network.

Smith mentioned the high satisfaction with the road network in most areas, but noted some low satisfaction in specific divisions.

Brad Crossland, manager of the planning group at Al-Terra Engineering, took over to discuss the transportation network analysis and the development of a network model. The network model includes existing traffic counts, safety concerns, and industry locations to understand current and future traffic patterns.

Crossland explained the process of conducting field data collection, including physical assessments of roads and traffic counts. The team used a node and link analysis model to understand traffic composition and identify critical linkages in the network.

Crossing presented the recommendations from the TMP, including minor modifications to the existing classification system and new classifications for specialized industrial routes.

The team analyzed the costs and implications of the recommendations, including the high costs of paved roads and the need for efficient maintenance practices. Crossing discussed various funding mechanisms, such as taxes, special assessment levies, industry partnerships, and grant funding.

The team emphasized the importance of two-way communication between the MD and the public to ensure feedback is received and addressed promptly.

The final recommendations for the next 10 years are focusing on critical linkages that need upgrades to handle future growth. The team identified specific linkages that require upgrades and provided cost estimates, and also recommended tools and processes to help the MD assess and prioritize future network upgrades.

Not surprisingly, the highest volume roads in the M.D. are Highway 3 and Highway 36. Some M.D. roads have significant traffic, but most are low volume.