Yorkton road construction projects to finish on time despite minor delay

According to Aron Hershmiller, the City of Yorkton’s director of public works, the weather has delayed the work of city operations and contractors. (Fruzsina De Cloedt/CTV News)

A late spring and frequent summer rainfall have caused minor delays to construction projects across Yorkton, but city officials say work remains on track for completion before winter.

According to Aron Hershmiller, the City of Yorkton’s director of public works, construction projects are running roughly two weeks behind schedule due to weather-related setbacks.

“With all this moisture and all this rain, obviously we’ve had some delays,” Hershmiller said. “We’re delayed a little bit on our different projects in the city, but as the weather turns warmer and better, we’re looking to catch up.”

Hershmiller noted that delays have affected both city operations and the work of city contractors, many of whom have had to adjust their schedules.

Despite the slower start, the city still expects to complete projects on time.

“A lot of our projects’ completion dates are September 30,” he said. “We do have a little bit of a window to go into October, but we tend not to go further than that because temperatures change and that’s getting into the end of the construction season.”

Hershmiller said the frustration has been mounting for the city, contractors and for residents.

“[It’s frustrating] that we’re not getting [projects] done as quick as we’d like to, but we’re still on schedule,” he said.

Hershmiller said the delays haven’t created additional costs for the city.

“There are no financial implications,” he said.

Several major infrastructure projects are already underway, including water main and sewer replacements that began in May. Road paving work also started Monday after being pushed back.

One of the city’s biggest initiatives this year is an expanded paving program.

“We’re looking at paving more than ever,” Hershmiller said. “We increased our budget this year and we’re looking at about 25 per cent more than what we did last year.”

The city plans to mill and repave approximately 16 street blocks or segments through its paving program.

“[We] essentially mill off the top layer and then repave that street,” he explained.

This expanded program is connected to a citywide street assessment completed in recent years, which helped identify priority areas and develop three- and five-year infrastructure plans.

With a larger budget, the city is now working ahead.

“What we’re trying to do there is get ahead of the schedule for 2027,” Hershmiller said. “With that concrete work, we’ll be ahead of the pavement program to come in on 2027.”

The increased investment and pace come as the city works to address aging infrastructure and deteriorating road conditions.

“As our roads are aging, they show more potholes, more cracking and more deficiencies,” Hershmiller said.

Residents looking for information on ongoing construction projects can visit the City of Yorkton’s ‘Shape Your City’ website or sign up for VoyentAlert! notifications, which provide regular updates on construction activities and schedule changes in their area.

With multiple projects underway across the city, Hershmiller is asking motorists to slow down in work zones and pay attention to signage to help keep construction workers safe.

He also encouraged residents to report potholes, sinkholes and other infrastructure concerns through the city’s website or by contacting the city’s public works department directly.

“We’ll look at it, attend to the situation and try to get it fixed,” he said.