Greenfield Identifies Streets Ready for Repairs

Greenfield residents who thought the city’s desire to borrow more than might rest easier after the amount was reduced by more than half.

On Tuesday, the agreed to borrow $3.7 million for nine different projects, many of which could be completed in 2012. Alderpersons also approved a 10th project – the area of 86th Street and Chapman Avenue, with an estimated price tag of $190,000 – to be paid for out of the city’s special assessment fund.

“These are the kinds of projects that didn’t involve special assessments, that didn’t involve reconstructions, but the streets were repaired and maintained,” Mayor Michael Neitzke said. “All the stuff that was in the budget, the borrowing of $10-11 million, we’re not doing that.”

Of the 10 projects, nine are street repairs: 48th Street (north of Grange) - $25,000 estimated cost; 58th and Abbott area - $135,000; the Chapman area project; 41st Street (north of Edgerton) - $52,000; 54th and Bottsford area - $450,000; 65th and Forest Home area - $240,000; 87th, 88th and 92nd and Woodlawn area - $310,000; 35th Street south of Loomis - $305,000; and Cold Spring Road from 110th to 124th - $750,000.

The street reconstruction project, 99th Street south of Howard and the 109th Street and Pallottine Avenue area, is a street reconstruction with an estimated cost of $1.5 million, but Director of Neighborhood Services Rick Sokol said construction on that project might not take place until 2013.

Alderman Thomas Pietrowski cast the only dissenting vote against the borrowing of the money.

“I’m not totally against borrowing, but I think we have to do it another way,” said Piotrowski, a longtime proponent of a city street utility.

Sokol said he hoped to have many of the projects out to bid next month because waiting past February traditionally results in higher prices.