GREENFIELD — Smoother travels are on the way for motorists in two Greenfield neighborhoods.
On Tuesday, the Greenfield Board of Works and Public Safety opened cost estimates for repaving eight sections of roads in McKenzie Place and Oak Commons on the city’s east side. The estimates ranged from about $154,000 to $215,000. The board is expected to choose a contractor at its Sept. 22 meeting.
The work will be the second round of street paving planned for this year.
Crim and Sons Inc. was picked to complete the first round of street paving in Greenfield this summer. The work cost about $175,000, and the contractor repaved about 14 sections of roads throughout the city.
For the second round, the street department identified a specific area instead of a broad one. Sections of Arlington Drive, Worcester Way, McKenzie Place, Lexington Trail, Cypress Drive and Magnolia Drive will be repaved should the board approve the work.
Street commissioner Tyler Rankins said those streets sorely need a little TLC.
“The streets over there are bad. They have drainage issues,” he said. “I think we’re going to be able to address it with just pavement.”
The roads in those neighborhoods have been sinking where the road meets driveways, he said. The contractor will use a larger stone than what’s typically used to address the problem, he added.
Over the years, the street department has invested a lot of time and money temporarily fixing the roads, Rankins said. Now is the time to find a more permanent solution.
“We just have to bite the bullet and do it,” he said. “Those are nice neighborhoods, and we want to have nice streets.”
Board of works member Brent Lawson said he’s happy there’s enough road repair funding this year to fix a second round of streets.
“It’s always nice when you budget and you’ve got some extra windfall at the end of the year,” Lawson said, “especially when it can go toward projects like road repair, sidewalks.”
The contract for the work stipulates the paving must be complete by Oct. 31, and Rankins expects the works board to approve a bid at the next meeting; members typically choose the contractor with the lowest bid.
Meanwhile, other street projects, including pothole and spot repairs, throughout the city and county are being completed.
The city’s work has focused primarily on neighborhoods, but workers plan to address main thoroughfares before winter weather arrives, Rankins said.
“These guys have it down to a science this year, and they’re doing it quick,” he said. “I think we’ve done a great job trying to get these streets back in order. We’ve got a long way to go, but we’ve got to start somewhere.”
County highway engineer Gary Pool said the county’s highway department has caught up on its scheduled roadwork after a rainy June delayed work. Crews have finished crack sealing and are on schedule with paving.
Nearly 100 miles of road will receive some sort of maintenance before work wraps up this fall, he said.
“We’re just chugging along,” he said. “We’re not ahead, and we’re not behind.”
