Repaving of 38 streets to begin in mid-August
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Work will start soon to resurface parts of 38 streets.
The paving totals 93/4 miles at a cost of $795,000. The list of streets was released Thursday.
David Robison, director of the engineering, planning and building department, said the streets being resurfaced are spread throughout the city's seven wards.
They were chosen based on priority.
The fifth ward has fewer streets set for work because much of that portion of the city was resurfaced last year.
The money comes from $395,000 in motor vehicle license fees, $200,000 in community development money and $200,000 in money that previously was used to pay off short-term debt for neighborhood street resurfacing.
The money used to pay off short-term debt was freed up with the sale of Anthem stock recently completed by the city. Only streets in low-to-moderate-income neighborhoods may be resurfaced using the community development funds.
Work should get started by mid-August, May Mayor Hank Angelo and Robison said.
Long-term plan needed
The scheduled resurfacing is a short-term solution to the problem of deteriorating streets.
"Council still needs to address the issue," Robison said. "This is just a Band-Aid approach. They need to set up some sort of priority. I'm not pushing assessments, but they need some kind of plan for streets."
Last week, city council approved legislation authorizing the administration to advertise for bids to get the road-resurfacing process started, so paving can be done this summer.
Money hasn't been allocated for the program, but that legislation is expected to be presented at council's Wednesday meeting.
Angelo also has suggested implementation of a voluntary assessment program. Though council hasn't acted on it yet, if 60 percent of the property owners on a street agree to pay 70 percent of the cost of reconstruction of their street, the city would pick up the remaining 30 percent.
Street reconstruction involves paving as well as curb installation and fixing driveway approaches.
About 30 percent of the city's streets are unimproved, meaning they haven't been reconstructed. The cost is about $285 per foot. Several years ago, the city used a forced assessment program for street work. That program hasn't been used for years.