The Town of Berwick is making an important shift in how it delivers winter road maintenance by transitioning to contracted services. This decision comes as a response to aging municipal equipment, rising maintenance costs, and a renewed focus on investing in critical infrastructure improvements.

Aging Equipment, Rising Costs

Many of the Town’s winter maintenance vehicles and equipment have reached the end of their useful life. These aging assets require increasing levels of repair, resulting in frequent downtime and reduced service levels during winter operations. Rather than investing significant capital ($1.6m) to replace this equipment, the Town is opting for a cost-effective, contracted model that ensures continued service while reallocating funds to priority infrastructure projects.

Prioritizing Critical Infrastructure

This transition supports the Town’s broader strategy of investing in long-term infrastructure needs, such as road upgrades, stormwater improvements, and asset renewal. By shifting winter operations to external providers, the Town can redirect resources to areas that benefit the community year-round.

Maintaining Service and Accountability

The Town is committed to making this transition as smooth and seamless as possible for residents. While changes to how services are delivered may result in slight differences in response times or operations, contractors will be held to clear performance standards. Service levels will be closely monitored and evaluated throughout the season.

Transition Monitoring 

As part of the transition, the Town is encouraging residents and taxpayers to share feedback and observations. An online tool will be made available to report concerns, suggest improvements, or note any issues with winter maintenance service.

A dedicated website page will be established by the fall 2025 to provide additional information on the contractor(s), service expectations, and how to provide feedback.

Decision Document: 

RFD025-2025 Winter Maintenance Services on Streets, Sidewalks and Parking Lots RFD025 2025 Winter Maintenance

FAQ Winter Maintenance FAQ Winter Maintenance Public