YORKTON – Yorkton city council has approved its 2026 paving and concrete replacement programs, committing more than $2 million toward road and sidewalk work.
Council signed off on the tenders during its April 20 meeting, awarding the asphalt paving contract to Fedorowich Construction Ltd. and the concrete program to North Star Concrete Inc.
The approved road work will target 16 street segments identified as being in very poor condition. The work will cover roughly 24,270 square metres, an increase of about 19 per cent compared to the previous year.
A city-wide assessment completed in the fall of 2024 found Yorkton’s pavement network scored 67 out of 100 on the Pavement Condition Index, placing it in the upper end of the “fair” category.
Still, the data showed a growing number of streets slipping into poorer condition, including 35 segments rated “very poor” and two requiring full reconstruction.
The total cost for the 2026 paving program is estimated at $1.22 million, including engineering and contingency. The project is funded through $500,000 in capital reserves and $1 million from the city’s operational road budget, leaving some flexibility within the overall $1.5 million allocation.
Even with that investment, administration notes the gap between needs and funding remains significant.
Yorkton maintains roughly 147,000 metres of paved roadways, and based on expected lifespans, more than 22 segments would need to be replaced each year to keep up with deterioration.
At current funding levels, the city is effectively on a replacement cycle of more than 50 years. A full mill-and-overlay of the entire network would cost more than $80 million.
Alongside roadwork, council also approved the 2026 concrete replacement program, which targets sidewalks, curbs and gutters.
That program has a total cost of about $734,000, funded by a mix of $480,000 in operational dollars and $400,000 in capital funding.
The work will prioritize sidewalk uplifts and trip hazards, as well as areas already scheduled for road improvements. The goal is to coordinate underground, surface and pedestrian infrastructure work to maximize value from limited budgets.
A separate assessment found the city’s sidewalk network scored 48 out of 100 on the Sidewalk Condition Index, placing it in the “poor” category.
Yorkton maintains about 151,000 metres of sidewalks, and full replacement would cost an estimated $53 million.
At current funding levels, that equates to a roughly 60-year replacement cycle.
Construction timelines and traffic impacts are expected to be shared with residents through city communication channels before work gets underway.
