The Town held a Public Hearing on August 19th to share a summary of the work done in the past several years and receive public comment. The work was funded by grants from the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Public Works Coordinator David Nugent presented and answered questions from community members.
Residents had questions about the delays getting started, how things had been prioritized, whether landscaping rocks were paid for with the grant money, if the work was completed, and if all the funds had been used for the intended purpose. Residents also asked why some good sections of the curb had been replaced, especially along Eaton Street, and if the remaining curb and gutters that need repair throughout town will be repaired as well. Community members expressed frustration that not everything had been completed, and wanted to know a timeline for final repairs.
The DOLA award to Mountain View was made in 2021. The project was awarded to Diaz Construction in December of 2022. It took some time to finalize the details of what was to be included in the project and then to manage the bid process properly.
The project consisted of three parts:
The installation and repair of curbs and gutters along W 41st Avenue.
The installation and repair of 3700 linear feet of curb and gutter in other parts of town.
The repair and lining of a section of storm drain on the east side of Ames between W 43rd Avenue and W 44th Avenue.
Public Works Coordinator David Nugent answered questions, reporting that grant money was used for replacement rocks where landscaping had been disturbed due to the project. He also shared that over the years, asphalt had been deposited in the gutter aprons as street work was done, resulting in buildup that caused blockages to waterflow. In these instances, the curbs needed to be replaced so that the water would flow properly, even though they did not appear cracked or broken.
Most of the work that was done was prioritized based on the state of the curbs, but in some instances, as funding ran out, smaller sections were prioritized in order to match the remaining budget. In total, the town replaced roughly 5,776 linear feet of curb and gutter.
There is more work to be done, and Council hopes to pursue additional matching grants to help complete the rest of the work. A timeline has not yet been created but staff are working to assess all town infrastructure including curbs and gutters, streets and alleys, sidewalks, sewers, storm drains, Town Hall, the park and all right-of-way areas. After the assessment, staff will create a schedule for repairs and ongoing maintenance.
This comprehensive plan to address all infrastructure needs will ensure that not only do the necessary repairs get made in an orderly, efficient way, but that grant money is utilized as much as possible, and an ongoing schedule is mapped for future generations.
Community members who have further questions may send them to Public Works Coordinator David Nugent or Town Administrator John Beltrone.
