BURSTA few road repainting jobs in Smithers will have to wait after the only bid to do the seasonal line painting came in over budget.
At last Tuesday’s regular meeting of council, council awarded the Traffic Marking Contract to Yellowhead Pavement Marking for just under $120,000, excluding GST.
The company was the only one to place a bid, which came in at over $134,000.
With the 2026 Traffic Marking budget set at $126,600, the bid received was $7,400 over budget.
Yellowhead Pavement Marking, based in Terrace, has successfully completed the Smithers traffic marking/line painting contract each year for the past several years.
To rectify the shortfall, Town staff decided to make the to-do list smaller, and less costly.
On the chopping block were all yellow curbs. Staff said the yellow curbs at fire hydrants were painted in 2025; the remaining yellow curbs are painted on an as-needed basis and are currently visible.
Also, the rainbow crosswalk won’t be repainted. This season’s winter operations (to date) have had a limited impact on the condition of the crosswalk.
Also, there will be reduced stop-bar and centerline repainting on local and residential streets and in industrial areas. Town staff said the visibility on these elements is relatively good.
“I did appreciate the report, you didn’t just come back and ask for more money, you adjusted what was being done to the budget,” Councillor Calvin Elliott told town staff. “So, I appreciated that, and I think the citizens of Smithers do too.”
Road pavement markings are mandated under the Motor Vehicle Act for higher-traveled roads and streets. The paint markings are subject to deterioration over the winter season and must be repainted annually to maintain their visibility.
As part of the Town’s road maintenance program, the Development Services Department administers a traffic marking contract each spring. The contract provides for line painting within the Town, as well as, ground-side markings at the Smithers Regional Airport.
Painting will be scheduled for May-June and will begin when the Operations department has cleared the roads of winter sand and debris.
The budget for road repainting escalates three per cent annually to keep up with rising costs in the five-year financial plan.