The first phase of Bethany’s $3.7 million street improvement program will get underway in 2016 when the city plans to award the first road contracts.
The city will be accepting bids from contractors for next year’s street improvements until Dec. 17. Bethany voters approved a bond program to finance the street upgrade in a special election earlier this year.
The city council set a priority list for street improvements based upon the road surface conditions. The first phase will be streets in the Daily and Broyles additions, the Square and the Ranchwood neighborhood.
The Ranchwood project will involve milling to lower the grade of the curbed street to accommodate the new layer of asphalt.
Mayor Patrick Miller said the city has budgeted for the purchase of about 6,000 tons of asphalt for the first year projects. Streets that could not be included would be moved to next year’s project list. Eventually, the city plans to resurface every street within the city limits.
Streets will be widened at some locations in the Daily Addition to accommodate two-way traffic and school buses. Some culverts will have to be replaced prior to the resurfacing operation.
Larry Griffin, retired Trenton street superintendent, will be supervising the street project.
Bartlett Street, which has been experiencing increased traffic since the opening of 39th Street as a short cut to the park, will also receive an upgrade using street department personnel.
Miller said the city is waiting for approval from FEMA to replace a culvert that has been repeatedly washed out during downpours over the past year.
The city plans to straighten out some curves and widen the street to two-way traffic. Contrary to comments on social media, the project will not require taking any property along the north side of the road or the park. The city has already relocated utility poles on the south side the road to allow work to proceed on widening the road. One utility pole near the park will also have to be relocated.