The Municipal Services Committee met 05/22/2023. They received one information item which was an update on the Glendale Avenue Maintenance Project.
Per the memo to the committee, pricing for asphalt materials came in below budget estimates for 2023 and the city has around $295,000 in available funds. Glendale Avenue from Meade Street to Ballard Road is in need of immediate repair, so staff would like to go forward with that work. A majority of the work would be completed by city staff, and they estimate it should cost around $155,000.
The item was an information item so the committee did not need to vote on it.
I have prepared a transcript of the discussion for download.
Alderperson Sheri Hartzheim (District 13) noted that District 13 had a lot of asphalt roads in poor condition. She asked how Glendale Avenue was ranked and how it was determined that it should be the next road to on which to use additional funds.
Director of Public Works Danielle Block said that they used a PASER-style rating scale to rank the city’s pavement conditions. They took into account both resident feedback as well as field review feedback from their operations team.
She said that Glendale has also been in “our schedule”. “It’s still scheduled, but it became apparent that our temporary patching, pothole filling in this area was not sufficient. And a mill and a fill in this area could really help us get to and prolong the life of Glendale Ave until a full reconstruction is possible.” [At the time I watched the meeting, I took the “schedule” she referred to, to be the 5-year paving plan, but as I now look at that plan, I don’t see Glendale listed on it.]
She noted that Glendale served the trauma center at ThedaCare which was important, and that fact elevated staff’s concerns about the street.
Alderperson Hartzheim somewhat wryly commented, “So, I should have District 13 folks call you about French Road, is what you’re saying.”
Alderperson Vered Meltzer (District 2) was excited to see the project come forward. “I get so much feedback regularly about the condition of Glendale. In fact, people in other districts have told me that they believe that Glendale is the worst street that they have to drive on in Appleton.”
Alderperson Chad Doran (District 15) wondered if the price of asphalt being lower than anticipated was a one-year glitch, and asked if staff would be monitoring the price to see if there were potneitally other asphalt projects that could be moved up in the future. He also wondered if the price of asphalt continued to be much less than concrete if the city should start shifting in that direction.
Director Block said the lower price was a welcome surprise. They were going to remain conservative in their estimates for inflation on asphalt next year, but it had opened up some good discussion about possibilities.
View full meeting details and video here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1104289&GUID=0D7AF700-CCC5-445A-A102-C24D0C2DEBB3
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