Cracks, patches and oil spills have encouraged city council to support a $500,000 contract to repave Main Street.
“It’s showing distress and age and we need to, basically, rejuvenate the surface and make it longer lasting so that we don’t end up having to completely rebuild our roads.”
The project was originally pegged at $467,000 but was later contracted out at $499,770.
Despite the extra $30,000, city council felt it was necessary to repave the street. It hasn’t seen fresh asphalt since 1986, said Wayne Tuck, the city’s manager of engineering and environmental services.
At first, Coun. Doug Graham was unsure about the expensive project, feeling the city had higher priorities.
The roads in the industrial area need to be chip-sealed, he said.
But Graham “was convinced by (Tuck’s) arguments.”
While no serious problems stand out, shoring up Main Street today will prevent it from deteriorating in the future, a job that would be far more expensive.
The city will remove a couple inches off the road’s surface then repave it.
The contract was awarded to Skookum Asphalt and the construction will take place in August and September.
To shield business from the construction, work will happen in the early evening rather than during business hours.
“We’ve been in discussion with businesses already and they of course see the need for the work to be done and our contractor will be following up more specifically with the businesses,” said Tuck.
Contact Larissa Robyn Johnston at larissaj@yukon-news.com