Lawton streets committee reiterates support for bidding more street work

A City Council study committee has reiterated its support for a plan to continue mill and overlay projects throughout the city.

Members of the Streets and Bridges Committee voted Thursday for a plan they originally recommended Jan. 19: soliciting bids for the remaining 30 projects on the “On Target, on Time” streets program. In a related vote, members also added Northeast 25th Street to the project list, and extended work planned on Quanah Parker Trailway to Northwest 79th Street (the original recommendation was mill and overlay between Northwest 82nd Street and the state highway maintenance point to the west). And, while King Road will remain a priority, that work won’t be done before late 2024.

City Manager John Ratliff said the committee had been asked to meet again on the proposals “out of an abundance of caution” because city staff couldn’t verify the Jan. 19 meeting had been posted on the city website for the media and general public to see. The full council signed off on the recommendations in January.

Ward 4 Councilman George Gill, who chairs the streets committee, said the committee members agree with Mayor Stan Booker’s argument that the mill and overlay program should continue without interruption to improve streets within the community. Council approval on bidding those projects means work could continue on priorities already set in three votes by the committee and council, although work on the first 10 is almost done under a $1.55 million contact awarded to Ellsworth Construction late last year.

Putting the road work out for bid doesn’t mean an immediate turnaround — Ratliff and Gill estimated it could be up to two months before any work could begin. Bids typically are sought for 30 days, then opened and analyzed before a recommendation is made to the council. Once the council selects a contractor, that firm is given time to ramp up for the project.

Gill said what is done will depend on cost. While some funding already is available within the city budget because of savings, Ratliff has said city officials also are looking at a plan to borrow money so work on those remaining streets could begin this fiscal year. Ward 2 Councilman Kelly Harris, a member of the streets committee, said engineers estimated it could cost $10 million to do the remaining streets.

Gill said the idea has always been to create an on-going mill and overlay program, a technique that grinds off the top layer of asphalt and applies a new layer. The technique could mean eight to 10 more years of life, Gill said, explaining that will allow the city to “catch up” on deteriorating roads. City officials also have said it will give them maneuvering room because keeping a road in service via mill and overlay is less expensive than rebuilding a road, which means city dollars go further.

Gill said the roads will be bid as one project, but the bid package is designated to allow the council to award part of the bid “or all of it.”

“We’ve always had some extra money,” Gill said of funding already available, that will be supplemented with additional funds to handle the entire list.

Gill said the committee support’s Booker’s proposal to create a permanent streets program with distinct criteria so street improvements work will be on-going. He also said the mill and overlay program ties into major road projects already on the drawing board, to include Southwest 38th Street south of West Gore Boulevard, Goodyear Boulevard in the west industrial park, and segments of West Lee Boulevard (some areas of that arterial also are suitable for mill and overlay upgrades, he said).

He said the intent is to balance roads suitable for mill and overlay with those that need major attention now.

“Some roads can’t wait eight to 10 years,” he said.