Collins administration approves additional areas for repaving
5/15/2014The Collins administration today released a list of another almost 11 miles of Toledo roadway that will be repaved this year after underground waterlines are replaced.
The new areas increase street repaving projects to be done in 2014 to just more than 50 miles. The street repaving that will occur after waterline work is completed adds another 0.68 miles for District 1; 4.7 miles for District 2; 2.12 miles for District 5; and 3.07 miles for District 6.
The waterline replacement streets adds another 0.3 miles for District 3 – which is just slightly more than the 0.12 miles the Collins administration identified in District 4, and remains remains unsatisfactory to Councilman Mike Craig, who said East Toledo and the Old South End were given unfairly low percentages of street repaving and waterline replacement money.
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Mr. Craig said District 3 has for years gotten less for street repair than any other district. The street repaving list identified just 0.62 miles to be in East Toledo, compared to eight miles for District 1; 7.17 miles in District 2; 10.3 miles in District 4; 10 miles in District 5; and 3.06 miles in District 6.
“I think there is a more equitable way to do some of this stuff,” Mr. Craig said. “Administrations have economically discriminated against my district for years. I have some of the worst streets and some of the oldest waterlines in the city.”
There is just $190,000 of city money earmarked for East Toledo streets and none for the old south part of District 2. By comparison, there will be more than $1.6 million of city money and more than $3.8 million of state and federal money to redo 7.17 miles in District 2 — the L-shaped district engulfing South Toledo, where Mayor D. Michael Collins lives and the area he used to represent as a district councilman.
Council's finance committee will discuss the street repaving program when it reviews the proposed capital improvements budget during a public hearing May 22. The city's capital improvements budget totals $61.7 million, which includes $17 million for debt service, $14 million that will be transferred to the general fund for operating costs like police and fire salaries, and $2.5 million for lease payments.
At its regular meeting Tuesday, council could vote to authorize more than $17.66 million of CIP money for the street paving, street sealing, the city sidewalk repair program, and several projects like the construction of a new fire station in North Toledo. There is also $312,592 set aside for the “1 percent for the arts” program. The street repair program alone will cost $12.2 million of city CIP money, but the city is expected to get $23 million in state and federal matching grants for main roadways projects.
Contact Ignazio Messina at: imessina@theblade.com or 419-724-6171 or on Twitter @IgnazioMessina.