A lot more could be on the line than eight-million maintenance dollars if the province hands back control of Deerfoot Trail to the city.
That’s what prompted aldermen Gord Lowe and Diane Colley-Urquhart to council today for a report on the future impact of having the major thoroughfare revert back to city control.
Aside from the annual maintenance costs, which have been pegged at $8 million, Lowe said the city hasn’t yet investigated any capital expenditure plans for the road, nor does the city have a full understanding of the life-cycle costs — like resurfacing projects and other replacements.
He points to recommendations from a safety audit that may end up falling upon the city to complete.
“Underlying it is the simple question: Can they hand it back to us, and if so, what are the conditions around it?” he said.
Lowe has asked for the report to come back in November so the city can include it in the next three-year budget cycle, if necessary.
The first question Lowe wants answered in the report is if the city is to take control, when will it happen.
