WHEREAS the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of bridge structures on municipal roads are under the control and management of the municipality;AND WHEREAS the provincial government in their Funding Guidelines For Municipal Bridge Structures may provide funding assistance to municipalities, on a priority basis, for bridge structures to the extent that their budgets allow. The provincial government will only pay eligible items on approval projects and the municipality is responsible for the remaining items such as inspections, minor structural repairs, specified maintenance related road work and engineering services for non-eligible items;AND WHEREAS numerous bridges crossing public waterways are old and may not be adequate to accommodate today’s size and weight of large equipment and vehicles;AND WHEREAS bridges are also deteriorating and require upgrading/replacement and the provincial funding being provided is not adequate to maintain them and ensuresafety on a long-term basis;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties request the provincial government to provide adequate long-term non-restrictive funding to municipalities to cover all aspects of bridge maintenance/replacement.

Many bridges are old and were built in the 1960s or earlier. Bridge design standards need to be reviewed. Some bridges are narrow and may not accommodate safely today’s vehicle/equipment size and weight. A greater number of larger and longer trucks are being used today to haul grain, fertilizer, feed, etc. Farm equipment is wider and heavier (e.g. air seeders, combines, swathers). Costs such as maintenance work, inspection, related bridge road work minor repairs, etc. are not eligible under current funding guidelines, but should be included as they are all related to bridge work.

The AAMDC has numerous resolutions currently in effect with respect to bridge funding:Resolution 5-95F, endorsed at the fall 1995 convention, calls for continued provincial funding of all municipal bridge infrastructure (this resolution will cease to be in effect following the fall 2000 convention).Resolution 14-96S, endorsed at the spring 1996 convention, also calls for full provincial funding of all municipal bridge inspections and maintenance.Resolution 9-96F, endorsed at the fall 1996 convention, calls for full provincial funding of all replacement and repair of municipal bridge structures.Resolution 15-96F, endorsed at the fall 1996 convention, calls for full provincial funding of all studies and work relating to municipal bridge structures.Resolution 7-97S, endorsed at the spring 1997 convention, calls for continued provincial funding of municipal bridge infrastructure.Resolution 13-98F, endorsed at the spring 1997 convention, calls for the AAMDC and the Government of Alberta to develop funding principles for the fair and equitable funding or bridge infrastructure.The AAMDC has been working with Alberta Infrastructure to develop a new formula for the funding of municipal bridge infrastructure. A draft proposal is under development, and a survey has been circulated to all AAMDC members asking for comment on proposed basic principles for such a new formula.