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Capital Works Division

The Capital Works Division is responsible for the rehabilitation or reconstruction of the infrastructure assets maintained by the Public Works Department. Infrastructure rehabilitation includes a wide range of restorative activities which are undertaken once the condition of an assets has dropped below acceptable limits and preventative maintenance can no longer economically be justified. The division also evaluates roadways to determine if additional safety or maintenance related conditions exist, and develops rehabilitation strategies to restore the asset to an suitable condition. The department monitors the conditions of all components of the system on an ongoing basis. Once the condition of a component falls below a point beyond which the level of service provided to the user is unacceptable, restorative measures become necessary. The objective of the department is to anticipate the point in time at which this will occur and apply the appropriate corrective measures necessary to restore the level of service to acceptable levels minimizing overall life cycle costs, while ensuring that suitable design standards are met in an environmentally sustainable manner. For roadways, these measures might include a variety of strategies such as resurfacing, (asphalt overlay, surface treatment, milling and paving, cold in place processing), road rehabilitation (pulverize and pave, base and surface) or complete reconstruction. In the case of bridges, strategies vary from patching, waterproofing and paving, concrete deck overlays, deck replacement or complete bridge replacement. The department undertakes all activities in support of these decisions including design, tendering and construction.

The engineering and construction activities of the department are overseen by the Manager of Capital Works, Mr. Michael Pinet, P. Eng., who is based in Pembroke at the County Administration Building. He is responsible for the day to day activities of the division. This includes the repair, rehabilitation, and replacement of County roads and bridges including evaluating, planning and programming, Environmental Assessments, feasibility studies, surveys, engineering design, construction management and contract administration using in-house and contracted resources. Under the Manager is a supervisor of engineering services and three technicians, who assist in the carrying out the capital program.

Under the direction of Mr. Pinet, the Division also manages a day labour construction program. As summer maintenance requirements tend to be less demanding for equipment and labour resources, than the winter maintenance, the department has found it extremely cost effective and efficient to undertake a sizeable day labour construction program. This permits the department to rehabilitate the county infrastructure at approximately 25 percent below contract costs on certain types of projects. This allows the department to maintain a steady level of staffing, and maximize the return on the County's investment in its work force. The day labour program is run by the Construction Supervisor, Mr. Rodney Siegel. Typical projects undertaken by the department include rural road reconstructions and smaller bridge and culvert rehabilitations and reconstructions. Urban road reconstructions and long span bridge rehabilitations and replacements are beyond the scope of the department's day labour capabilities and are therefore tendered out to the private sector. 

10 Year Capital Works Program  2012 - 2021