Yellowknife (May 21/04) - City Hall will likely have to cut a few corners to keep this year's paving program on budget.

The city budgeted $3 million for new paving and road repairs, but after reviewing bids and engineering costs, they found their wish list cost an extra $400,000.

"The prices came in a little higher for some of the projects," said Greg Kehoe, director of public works.

"We wanted to do a little more than was originally planned." City council is considering whether to award contracts to Volker Stevin for $2.9 million to pave the roads, and another $307,152 contract to Cematrix, an Alberta-based company that specializes in freeze-thaw resistant concrete.

Reconstruction of 49 Avenue from the Explorer Hotel to 46th Street was originally budgeted for $180,000, but is now projected to cost $350,000 after the city added extras: blasting the treacherous rocky hump at the intersection and a sidewalk.

Kehoe said the city still intends to do that this year, but will look at shaving $54,000 from the new cost estimate.

Kehoe said the hump is hazardous because it protrudes into the road, and there's no room for people to walk on either side of the street.

Paving projects likely to be shelved for another year include 50th Street between 51st and 52nd Avenue and Enterprise Drive.

One high priority paving project certain to go ahead this year is the stretch of Franklin Avenue between city centre and Old Town. "The rollercoaster," as Kehoe calls the hill, has bedeviled city engineers since the road was built to New Town 60 years ago.

A stream runs beneath the road, causing the surface to buckle and heave.

The city hopes Cematrix's specialized concrete will stabilize the pavement.

Kehoe said he couldn't make any guarantees, but was confident the repairs will last longer than previous efforts to remove the humps.