Albany Commission approves resurfacing 25 miles of ‘very poor’ streets

ALBANY — The third phase of Albany’s five-year resurfacing program will bring the city to the point of having nearly half of its worst streets repaired.

The Albany City Commission on Tuesday approved nearly $6.19 million for the third phase of the work for resurfacing and street improvements.

“It’s approximately 25 miles of roads that are right now ranked as ‘very poor’ condition,” Stacey Rowe, utilities operations director with the city’s Public Works Department, said during a Wednesday phone interview. “It will not only address resurfacing the roads, it will also address defects in the curb-and-gutter system.”

The second phase of the resurfacing program will wrap up in the next 30 days or so. Oxford Construction Co., which is doing the current work, has been awarded the contract for the third phase of the project.

Funding will come from special purpose local option sales tax collections in the amount of $2.44 million, with additional funding of $1.73 million from the Georgia Department of Transportation and $2.02 million from the local 1 percent transportation special purpose local option sales tax.

When the city began the resurfacing program, there were 174 miles of streets rated very poor throughout the city. When phase 3 is completed, there will be about 89 miles of very poor streets remaining in the city.

In other business, the commission:

— Approved a $788,900 contract with W.J. Kirksey Construction to renovate the public works crew quarters;

— Discussed renovations of Bill Miller and Henderson gyms at a cost of $470,068 each. If approved, SPLOST funds would be used for funding the renovations.

File Photo: Carlton Fletcher