The Athens Street Department plans to repave 13 roads and seal cracks in other roads this summer, the Athens Street Department director said.
The work will start June 11 and traffic will be maintained during the estimated 60 days of construction, said Director Andy Stone. The contractor will be decided at Monday's Athens City Council meeting.
The contracted repairs are estimated to cost $370,000, though Mayor Ric Abel said the three contracted bids are higher than expected. City Council authorized Stone to spend up to $450,000 for this summer's street paving and repairs ' $250,000 from the state and $200,000 from city funds. The rest of the money will be used for materials for other repairs by the Street Department.
Last year, council authorized $125,000 for summer street repairs and paving of seven roads because funds were diverted for three larger projects. State-administered grants that required a significant contribution from the city reallocated some of the money usually appropriated to the repaving projects. In 2004 and 2005, the appropriated amount was the same as this year, about $450,000.
The Street Department rates the severity and extent of any road damages every two years according to the Ohio Department of Transportation's standards. The city department then tries to work on half of the streets one year and half the next, though it is a perpetual process, Stone said.
During the next two months, the roads being paved (divided by area of town) are:
EAST: Verona Street and East State Street between Home Street and Utah Place.
WEST: Central Avenue, Fremont Street and West Union Street from Blue Line Drive to the Hocking River Bridge.
SOUTH: Hooper Street, Curtis Street, parts of Longview Heights Road and Dairy Lane and the southbound lane of Richland Avenue between South Shafer Street and the Hocking River Bridge.
NORTH: Part of Cable Lane and the intersection of North Lancaster Street and Second Street.
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Andrea Golby
