Broken curbs, potholes and weathered sidewalks have disappeared from the Jersey Village landscape as Phase III of the city's street improvement project nears completion. After more than a year of work, the city has made more than a dozen repairs and upgrades throughout the community.
"The intention was for us to go throughout the city in its entirety and find roads that had passed their useful life," said Mayor Russell Hamley. "We want to be able to say that all the main thoroughfares are up to standards in the Village."
Discussions of the three-phase project began about eight years ago, Hamley said, when officials decided to evaluate the city's drainage and utility issues, traffic volume and the drivability and age of the streets.
In early 2012, a 450-day contract—which began March 26—was awarded to SER Construction Partners for nearly $6.5 million. The project called for the installation of new water lines, street paving, storm sewers, improved sidewalks and decorative street lighting, and it is scheduled to be completed in May.
"The majority of the paving and draining has been completed," said Danny Segundo, public works director. "Also, the water lines are completed. The majority of the work left to complete is landscaping, curb installation and street light installations."
Discussions concerning plans for Phase III of the Jersey Village street improvement project began within the city's public works department in 2010. The plans were first presented to City Council in May 2010 and were approved in November 2011. The public works department, along with city engineer Frank Brooks, discussed the city's areas considered for street rehabilitations.
The following summer, Jersey Village hosted workshops to further discuss street related issues and moving forward with Phase III. The city awarded an engineering contract to Brooks & Sparks Inc. to design the project's final phase. After speaking with City Council, several streets and culs de sac were targeted for improvement, including Acapulco, Tahoe, Capri and Welwyn drives, Juneau, Congo, Singapore, Mauna Loa and Yampa lanes and Carlsbad Street.
"The benefits to our residents are better drivability—no more potholes—better drainage runoffs during heavy rains, better water service—as some of our residents were having to deal with water main breaks weekly along Acapulco," Segundo said.
Road and drainage improvements have been funded through the city's general fund, while the water line replacements are funded through the utility budget, said city manager Mike Castro. The project is nearly 80 percent complete and is under budget, according to the public works department.
"We are developing a 'punch list' of items that still need to be addressed by SER such as mail boxes needing to be adjusted, broken curbs, sod issues—small items that will be addressed near the end of the project," Segundo said.
