YOUNGSTOWN Board awards paving contract

Repaving is on schedule for the third straight year.
By ROGER G. SMITH
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A little more asphalt for a little less money.
Carmen Conglose Jr. can't think of a better outcome when you repave streets.
That's how the city's paving project is shaping up for this year, said Conglose, deputy director of public works.
The city's control board awarded a $901,995 contract Thursday to the low bidder, Gennaro Pavers of Warren, to resurface sections of 58 streets. Northern Ohio Paving of Hillsville bid $933,888. McCourt Paving of Akron bid $1,037,235.
The city is paving the same number of streets as 2001 but spreading about 4 percent more asphalt. The extra work, however, comes at a slightly lower cost. The city spent $922,000 last year.
Cost of materials dropped this year by about 3 percent compared with last year, he said.
Estimated time period
Work should start in two to three weeks and be finished by the end of August.
"That's exactly where you want to be when you're doing paving work," Conglose said.
Paving that slips into the fall runs the risk of weather delays from rain or low temperatures, which has happened to the city in the past.
This the third straight year that the repaving project is on schedule after years of trouble with bids and contractors that meant big delays.
The last was in 1999, when the city's contractor left at least a dozen streets unpaved. The city also charged the company $30,000 in penalties for other streets not paved.
The city also has found the right balance in testing to assure quality work, Conglose said.
Sometimes unnecessary testing can cost a project, he said, while under-testing can lead to shoddy work.
For the third year, Thomas Fok Associates of Youngstown will test the paving materials. The city has a $76,727 contract with the company to do the work.
rgsmith@vindy.com