Council hears IGA placing maintenance responsibility for new E‑470 ramp on Sable Boulevard with city

City public works staff told the Brighton City Council study session Tuesday that a proposed intergovernmental agreement with the E‑470 Public Highway Authority would assign ownership and maintenance responsibilities for new infrastructure at the E‑470 ramp on Sable Boulevard to the city.

Greg Labrie, Brighton public works director, said the agreement establishes which party is responsible for new roadway, signal equipment, a trail north of the ramps and drainage infrastructure beneath the trail and Sable Boulevard. "Essentially, the city of Brighton will be responsible to maintain the Sable Boulevard across the E‑470. And the signals that's gonna be installed, that would be our responsibility as well," Labrie said.

Labrie told councilors there is no immediate financial obligation tied to signing the IGA itself, but once the city assumes responsibility for maintenance, repair and replacement the costs will appear in future operating and capital planning. Labrie and councilors discussed the project timeline; staff said construction completion is planned in 2026, with reports indicating the contractor may be ahead of schedule and that third-quarter 2026 is a reasonable projection.

Councilmembers signaled no opposition to forwarding the agreement. Staff said the item will be placed on next week's regular meeting consent agenda for formal vote; one councilmember asked that the presentation be placed on the regular agenda instead so the city could highlight the progress publicly.

The IGA presentation prompted councilors to praise the project schedule and note advanced inspection techniques being used by the contractor, including drone inspections. Public works staff said they will include an additional slide in the next presentation and will bring the IGA forward for formal council action.