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Salem officials planning for 2019 street projects

SALEM — Plans are being made already for next year’s street paving project, with the Streets, Alleys & Sidewalks Committee recommending approval for city Service/Safety Director Ken Kenst to advertise for requests for qualifications for engineering services.

The committee voted unanimously to forward the proposed ordinance to city council, allowing for the same process followed the last few years to secure an engineering firm.

Kenst, Mayor John Berlin and city Assistant Utilities Superintendent Matt Hoopes will evaluate the qualifications of firms who submit their information and grade them based on qualifications, experience, proximity to the project, capacity to perform, references and past performance for the city. A contract will be negotiated with the top firm.

During the meeting chaired by Councilman Sal Salvino and attended by fellow committee members Councilmen Roy Paparodis and Ron Zellers, Berlin gave an overview of the proposed work and the probable construction costs which total $949,589, acknowledging that they’re more than likely looking at five streets for a total closer to $798,556. He said the last two projects on the list can be added later, dependent on whether additional funding comes from the general fund like it did this year.

He noted that the proposed budget for the streets program was $700,000 from capital improvements, but with the city possibly expected to end the year with an even larger carryover than estimated, council could possibly transfer another lump sum from the general fun to capital for the streets. Last year, $200,000 was transferred from the general fund to capital.

The proposed list of streets includes: Pennsylvania Avenue from Allen Road to Jennings Avenue; South Madison from East State Street to Southeast Boulevard; Arch from Newgarden Avenue to the deadend; Oak Street from South Madison Avenue to Southeast Boulevard; Cleveland Street from Hawley Avenue to Brooklyn Avenue; Buckeye Circle from West 14th East to West 14th West; and the municipal parking lot at Pershing and Lundy. Berlin said the parking lot and Buckeye Circle won’t get done for sure unless the funding is there and he stressed that some things could be shifted around, depending on the money available.

The opinion of probable cost was prepared by Howells & Baird.

Berlin said the street department does a lot of patch work on Pennsylvania Avenue, adding it’s in bad shape and the workers think it needs improved. South Madison is a concrete street, but placing asphalt over the concrete would be the most reasonable cost-effective way to get the street done, he said. The city had previously placed a mesh overlay on a section of North Union and then placed asphalt over it and it’s held up. For Arch, he said they’ve been working around it thinking utilities may do a water line replacement, but that’s no longer the case and it needs to be done. As for the parking lot, it’s a focal point during the Salem Super Cruise and part of the downtown parking for other venues.

Paparodis asked when they’ll do the contract, with Berlin saying they wanted to get a jump on the engineering this year rather than waiting until February like this year. He explained that the cost estimate for the project does not include the engineering, which could cost an additional $75,000 to $80,000 based on 8 to 9 percent of the project cost.

Salvino clarified with the mayor that the list was based on studying the roads, the condition of the roads and the ones that need the most care.

Paparodis talked about how well the laying of asphalt over concrete worked previously, at a fraction of the cost. Berlin said they can keep trying to do that to see how it works.

“I would like to thank the mayor for doing all this work and making it easier for us to understand,” Zellers said, a sentiment that Salvino echoed.

Berlin provided the committee members with a sample ordinance to give to the law director and copies of the opinion of probable costs for each of the streets and the parking lot. Each page was numbered and he wrote a running total on each page for the total cost.

The ordinance will now go to city council for consideration.

City council meets again at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

mgreier@salemnews.net

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