Mayor Justin McKenzie, City Engineer Sean Burns and Water Supervisor Michael McDaniel are surveying infrastructure in areas that may need paving.
“I think it would be irresponsible for us to pave something without assessing the age and condition of water and sewer lines under the roads,” McKenzie said Tuesday. “One of the streets is Central Avenue north of Church Street, which is in dire need of being paved. East Avenue south of Church Street to Broad Street is in really bad shape, too. There are several others on the list.”
The mayor said they’re looking at some cost estimates on redoing water lines and sewer lines on Central Avenue. He said they’ve had sewer repairs and water leaks there over the years.
“We don’t want to jump out there and ask you for money to pave a road and then two weeks later block the road off, dig a hole and make a water repair,” he said.
But on East Avenue, they have not had any water-related repairs, which McKenzie said leads them to believe that it will be fine to go ahead and mill and overlay.
Ward 1 Alderman Wendell Hammond asked about Gill Street, and McKenzie said that 33 repairs for potholes had been made.
“That’s one that before it is repaved might need to be totally reworked,” McKenzie said. “That would be a big job.”
