8 | M.D. of Foothills No. 31
mental regulations involving run-off, the
department has decreased the salinity of the
mix used for melting and has found ways to
apply it less liberally by targeting particular
slopes and curves. As Pettigrew says, win-
ters can pose genuine challenge as Chinooks
(warmwinds) come over the hills to melt the
ice on roads, which then refreeze, prompting
effort to maintain the safety and integrity
of area roadways. “Our road crews are some
of the most dedicated people you will ever
meet, and many will wake-up in the middle
of the night, and go to work making sure the
roads are safe,” says Pettigrew.
While public works is responsible for a
portion of the district roadways, a significant
number of other roads fall under the care of
Alberta’s Department of Transportation. In
recent years, funding from grants has been
crucial to paying for the care of district roads
and bridges, but some of those resources have
now dissipated as provincial budgets have di-
minished. Pettigrew says that has prompted
careful examination of priorities in terms of
which roads and bridges need immediate at-
tention versus those that can wait. He says
safety will not be compromised in the pro-
cess and he expresses confidence that new
grants or financing strategies stemming from
public and private partnerships will emerge
