By Alex McCuaig

Box Springs Boulevard

Bumpy boulevard brings criticism

Oct 3, 2019 | 4:28 PM

Medicine Hat, AB – It’s a road with more dips than a bowl of salsa at a Grey Cup party but city and Box Springs Business Park officials are hoping to iron out the wrinkles in the bumpy boulevard.

Originally built in 2007, Box Springs Boulevard has been a point of irritation for many drivers in the city, many of whom liken the road to a roller coaster.

“And it’s hazardous,” said Robert Albert who drives the road on a regular basis. “Every entrance is a high point to get in and they kind of rock the car as they get in. Some of the bumps are so bad that people change lanes just to get out of it and don’t realize somebody else is in the other lane.”

Albert pointed out several sections of the road in which the manhole covers and gutters were above grade.

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Albert Stark, Box Springs Business Park partner, was apologetic for the state of the road but said the terms of the development agreement with the city limits what the company can do.

Stark said those terms include the requirement that 90 per cent of the development is built out prior to the city taking possession of the privately built road which currently hasn’t had a top lift of asphalt since it was built.

“Our hands are a bit tied given the fact that we are not at that (90 per cent) number and (the development agreement) says we can’t finish that lift until we hit that number,” said Stark. “So it’s a bit of a catch-22. However, we have been negotiating with the city to relax that condition and we have been negotiating with them for the last several months.”

Imran Ahmed, city manager of development services, says the municipality is in regular communication with Box Springs Park regarding the road.

“We do get calls whenever the road conditions get a little worse, then we get a few calls,” said Ahmed. “Then we advise them to contact the Box Springs developer. We also call them and we just work with the developer to bring the road to a safe and drivable condition.”

Both the city and Box Springs appear confident a solution will be found sooner than later.