In 2019, Ledcor was awarded a 10-year contract to provide highway maintenance services in Alberta Transportation’s Contract Maintenance Area 508. The contract includes maintenance and repairs of nearly 2,700 lane-kilometres of highway surface, including over 2,550 lane-kilometres of paved surface and 150 lane-kilometres of gravel surface all in the northern Alberta region of Edson. The highway network under this contract includes the key high-traffic corridors of Highway 16 and Highway 43. Both Highway 16 and Highway 43 is recognized as a Level One highway and forms part of Canada’s national highway system while serving as a critical east-west transportation route. Ledcor’s responsibility includes maintenance of the Obed Summit section at 164 metres in elevation – the highest point on the Yellowhead Highway.
The maintenance contract recognizes Ledcor’s nearly 25 years of successful highway maintenance contracting in Alberta and over 10 years previously in the Edson area. Under the terms of this contract, Ledcor is responsible for year-round, winter, and seasonal maintenance. Year-round maintenance responsibilities include regular road inspections and condition reporting, sign maintenance and emergency response. Winter maintenance responsibilities include snow removal and ice control. Seasonal maintenance work includes key maintenance activities such as grading and maintenance of gravel road surfaces, crack sealing, spray patching, pavement patching, line painting and pavement marking, drainage maintenance (including ditching, culverts and catch basins), vegetation control (including brushing and mowing), bridge inspection and maintenance, sign and safety device maintenance, incident response and emergency traffic control.
As a key employer and community member in the area, Ledcor works closely with local municipalities and stakeholders to develop relationships and build partnerships to provide improved maintenance services and support for each local community. Emergency response assistance, development and sharing of highway maintenance best practices, training and employment opportunities and other community support initiatives are examples of the positive impact Ledcor has on the local communities.