Work kicked off Tuesday on the last three projects of the city's paving season.
For the next two weeks, crews will focus on Ospika Boulevard between Range Road and Tyner Boulevard, Tabor Boulevard between First and Fifth Avenues and Foothills Boulevard between North Nechako Road and the Foothills Bridge.
The nearly $1.9 million worth of work is possible due to the enhancement of the $3.5 million road rehabilitation budget city council approved in June. The money was transferred from a reserve fund in order to get more projects finished this season.
This week also saw other sections of the city getting a facelift as paving contractor Columbia Bitulithic repaired parcels of work done in previous years.
On Monday, a section of Cranbrook Hil showing signs of premature deterioration was patched up. The work is at no cost to the city, as it falls under the one-year warranty paving projects are covered by.
But streets operations supervisor Mick Jones said there was some disagreement with the contractor before they agreed to the work.
While the city maintained the product was failing too early, the contractor suggested the wear on the resurfaced corners was from speeding motorists braking through the curves too harshly.
"There was some debate and discussion, but in the end they agreed it was still premature, so they're doing the warranty work," Jones said.
Columbia Bitulithic is also working in three sections on University Way and the section of Foothills Boulevard between 15th and 18th Avenues. Those parcels were paved at least two years ago, but were not able to be fixed under warranty until now.
Part of that delay comes from the unavailability of the travelling asphalt milling machine.
"We had to wait and by the time it was able to come up [to Prince George] it was late in the year and we just said we would put it off until this year and do it under better conditions," Jones said.
The one-year warranty is an industry standard - one that city council has questioned in the past and staff have queried the local paving contractors about.
"And they've indicated if we go above the industry standard, in all likelihood it would be reflected in the cost as well," Jones said. "It's like if you buy a car, it comes with a standard three-year warranty. If you want a five, you can get it, but you pay."
Once these last projects are complete, Jones said the department could pick off something small on the road rehab list, but he doesn't anticipate having much left.
"We're pretty tight on our budgets," he said.
