Road Maintenance

Currently, there are approximately 54 kilometres of gravel roads in the Township of Guelph/Eramosa.

In order to protect and prolong the life of the Township’s infrastructure and provide our residents and visitors with a safe and efficient means of travel on our road system, the Public Works Department undertakes preventative maintenance activities such as gravel resurfacing. Currently, there are approximately 54 kilometres of gravel roads in the Township of Guelph/Eramosa.

To improve the gravel surface, maintenance material is added to existing granular road surfaces to provide working material for grading and reshaping the road surface. Each year after surface damage by spring break up has been graded out, and before treatment for dust control, additional gravel is placed, spread, graded and compacted where necessary to restore the integrity of the road surface. Gravel placement on specific road sections is determined through road monitoring, and field staff recommendations.

The gravel maintenance application is completed annually during the month of May and takes approximately 2 weeks to complete, pending weather conditions. Residents are urged to exercise caution when driving on roads that have recently received granular material as the road surface may be loose and/or slippery.

For more information, please contact Alisha Dennis at roads@get.on.ca or 519-856-9596 ext 120

Currently, there are approximately 54 kilometres of gravel roads in the Township of Guelph/Eramosa.

In order to protect and prolong the life of the Township’s infrastructure and provide our residents and visitors with a safe and efficient means of travel on our road system, the Public Works Department undertakes preventative maintenance activities such as gravel resurfacing. Currently, there are approximately 54 kilometres of gravel roads in the Township of Guelph/Eramosa.

To improve the gravel surface, maintenance material is added to existing granular road surfaces to provide working material for grading and reshaping the road surface. Each year after surface damage by spring break up has been graded out, and before treatment for dust control, additional gravel is placed, spread, graded and compacted where necessary to restore the integrity of the road surface. Gravel placement on specific road sections is determined through road monitoring, and field staff recommendations.

The gravel maintenance application is completed annually during the month of May and takes approximately 2 weeks to complete, pending weather conditions. Residents are urged to exercise caution when driving on roads that have recently received granular material as the road surface may be loose and/or slippery.

For more information, please contact Alisha Dennis at roads@get.on.ca or 519-856-9596 ext 120

Why are the roads so full of potholes in the spring months?

Potholes form because asphalt road surfaces crack after warming during the heat of day and then cooling at night. The constant stress of traffic can aggravate these cracks and allow snow and rainwater to seep into the underlying sand and gravel. During cold winter nights, this water freezes and expands. Some of the sand and gravel is pushed out as a result, leaving a hole when the ice eventually melts. Drivers may also be driving over these unseen holes, putting even more stress on the thin asphalt layer covering them. Eventually the asphalt layer over these divots can collapse and create potholes.

Why doesn’t the Township fix these potholes as they occur?

In the spring, with the warmer weather, these holes can be filled and fixed permanently with a mixture of hot asphalt.  For gravel roads, the Township has a Maintenance Gravel Program in the spring months to grade and fix surface damage caused by break-up of gravel roads.

One of the components of the Township’s annual spring road maintenance program is the application of magnesium chloride as a dust suppressant on all gravel roads throughout the Township. Magnesium chloride is a hydroscopic material that absorbs moisture from the air, acts as a dust control, aids in compaction of gravel and increases performance of the gravel road surface.  There are approximately 54 kms of gravel road to prepare for magnesium application. This application program immediately follows the gravel maintenance application taking approximately 2-3 weeks to complete, pending weather conditions.

Once the snow has melted in the spring of each year, the Township contracts out the Spring Street Sweeping Program to clean Township streets of the residual sand left on the road surface deposited during winter control.  

Once the snow has melted in the spring of each year, the Township contracts out the springtime Street Sweeping Program to clean Township streets of the residual sand left on the road surface deposited during winter control. 

The Street Sweeping Program starts in April and is typically completed by June.   Residents are asked to minimize on-street parking during street sweeping to ensure best results.

Residents are also reminded that while street sweeping is underway, there may be some noise and dust. 

Street sweeping operations take place on Township-owned roads and sidewalks in urban areas, such as Rockwood, Eden Mills, Everton, Promenade, Hamilton Drive, Kaine Hill, Beech Street, Shadow Drive, Walkerbrae, Ellenville Crescent, Ariss Glenn Drive and Hartfield areas. Hard-topped intersections and bridges in the rural areas are also cleaned as part of the Street Sweeping Program.

By removing these materials from the streets, street sweeping prevents the build-up of sand and debris in catch basins, which could potentially block the storm sewers.  The Street Sweeping Program can also improve water quality and the environment by removing pollutants that could be transferred to downstream water bodies through urban run-off. This program also provides a safe and clean driving surface for motorists in addition to improving the aesthetics of the Township’s road network.

Every attempt is made to sweep the streets as soon as possible after the end of the winter season.  Please note that weather conditions, such as cold temperatures and rain, may impede sweeping operations. 

For more information, please contact Alisha Dennis at roads@get.on.ca or 519-856-9596 ext 120