What is this Service?

A municipality’s transportation system affects the economic vitality and quality of life of residents. The goal of roads services is to provide affordable, well-managed and safe traffic flow for pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, public transit and commercial traffic while contributing to the environment and the quality of community life.

Transportation infrastructure generally includes roads, bridges, culverts, sidewalks, traffic control systems, signage and boulevards. In addition to constructing and repairing infrastructure, roads services include clearing the transportation network of snow and debris to ensure that it is safe and convenient to use.

Influencing Factors:

• Capitalization Policy:   Dollar thresholds for the capitalization of roads expenditures differ.  In one municipality, an activity could be considered an operating expenditure while in another municipality, it could be considered as capital.
• Economic Conditions:  Inflationary increases in the cost of asphalt, concrete, fuel and contract services can reduce the amount of maintenance done with a given level of funding.
• Level of Government:  Single-tier municipalities will have arterial, collector and local roads and in some cases, expressways.  Regional governments, on the other hand, will not have data relating to local roads included in their results.
• Maintenance Standards:  Different standards, set by their respective municipal councils, can have an impact on costs and affect municipal backlog of roads rated in poor condition and general levels of service.
• Traffic Volumes & Urban Form:  Traffic volumes can accelerate the rate at which roads deteriorate and increase the frequency and costs of road maintenance. Traffic congestion, narrow streets, additional traffic signals and after-hour maintenance can also lead to higher costs.
• Utility Cut Repairs:  Cost of utility cuts can vary significantly from one year to another.
• Weather Conditions:  Frequency and severity of weather events can impact operation and maintenance costs, each municipality’s service threshold for responding to weather events and service standards for road conditions.