The background
Public Works Director Kelly Cowan briefed City Council on Jan. 17 about preliminary efforts to determine what it will take to address problems at William Classen and Donella drives as well as along bridges at Sterling Browning Road and North Oak Drive, and Trailcrest Street and Ridge Trail Street.
Cowan said city staff has received many complaints from residents about surface conditions at each of those intersections.
Cowan’s briefing prompted some council members to wonder about a database the city and consulting engineering firm KCI Technologies have been developing since last spring as a guide to a prioritized multiyear street maintenance program.
Council member Chester Drash, an engineer by trade, said he is eager to see the completed database, which is based on KCI’s street pavement condition survey, along with estimated costs and recommended timelines.
KCI officials in 2023 had estimated it would take more than $13 million total to make identified necessary improvements at 53 city streets.
"We need public works to bring to us a list of roads that are needing immediate attention,” Drash said at the meeting.
Digging deeper
The pavement condition survey contains an estimated cost of $121,966 to fix the intersection of William Classen and Donella.
According to the road survey, it would cost $277,341 to repair North Oak from the cul-de-sac to Sterling Browning and $139,384 to improve Ridge Trail from Trail Crest to Memory Trail.
Cowan said he has been getting preliminary construction cost estimates from KCI regarding the three intersections in question.
Cowan also said KCI personnel is still inputting data into a custom designed program to aid the town’s efforts to implement a long-range street repair system.
Cowan added he and his city colleagues hope KCI officials will finish work on the street database and return to council soon with their recommendations.
Council members agreed it is wise to wait for KCI to unveil the street repair program for the city to proceed with projects.
