Columbus moving ahead with paving gravel roads

Paul Rignell

Columbus Reporter

Columbus City Council voted on Wednesday, July 23 to move ahead on new paving of gravel roads in two areas this fall after public hearings were held for neighbors to speak.

The residents who spoke from one of the neighborhoods were all in favor of getting paved roads along with being billed thousands of dollars in assessments. Vocal neighbors from the other area under review by the council, however, were decidedly split whether asphalt roads and higher costs would be a good trade-off.

Four council members, with Mayor Dave Povolny absent, first opened discussion on a neighborhood involving 33 lots that could be billed on 177th Lane, 178th Lane and Heidelberg Street.

An estimated month of work, ending in mid-October, would end with topping those roads with 3 inches of asphalt. City Engineer Larry Bohrer projected the neighborhoods cost at $270,100 for a price per lot of $8,185.

Residents speak

Doug Palmer, a resident who said he has lived on 177th Lane since 1987, introduced himself as the neighbor who began a petition to work with the city on paving in the neighborhood.

I am really, really glad to see it at this stage right now, Palmer said. I think it is long overdue to have this (these roads) updated.

Most lots in the other area where the city is considering road paving this year, on Bender Street and 184th Avenue, would be assessed $8,581 per lot based on the engineers total estimate of $188,790.

More here:
Columbus moving ahead with paving gravel roads