Stay informed with the LNN Daily Newsletter

Lethbridge fares well in latest municipal benchmarking report on road services

Jan 28, 2018 | 8:07 AM

LETHBRIDGE – Lethbridge City Council was recently briefed on the Alberta Municipal Benchmarking Initiative report on Roadway Services, which showed some promising results for the city.

The report is the fifth of seven core service area reports expected to be issued from extensive data gathered under the initiative.

It shows the cost of municipal roadway services in Lethbridge is the lowest among the six participating communities in Alberta, while the condition of local roads is near the top.

Specifically, the Roadways Report indicated Lethbridge had the lowest roadway system cost – $9,963 per lane kilometre in 2014 – among the six municipalities that participated in this area of study.

The roadway system cost in other participating communities ranged from $10,853 to $23,894.

Other communities that participated in the roadways study included Banff, Canmore, Medicine Hat, Okotoks and Red Deer.

Lethbridge also had the lowest per-capita cost for its total transportation system, and the second-best roadway conditions among participating communities, with only six per cent of local roads deemed in poor condition.

The benchmarking information sets the stage for each municipality to identify trends, establish priorities, and make positive changes in the delivery of roadway services to their residents.

Mayor Chris Spearman says the ability to share and compare operational practices and performance among communities can only lead to improved decision making, more efficient service, and a higher quality of life for residents.

Director of Corporate Services Corey Wight, the City’s representative on the initiative’s governance committee, says this report is a measurement tool that can raise the standard for delivery of municipal services in Alberta.

“It will be a catalyst for municipalities to develop and refine best practices that can be used province wide,” he added.

Each participating municipality will now take the next steps to review the results with managers and employees who are experts in the measurement areas.

Previous benchmarking reports released to date have examined drinking water, fire services, and solid waste and wastewater services.

The remaining service areas to be examined include snow and ice control, as well as transit services.