Earle paying extra for road work

Earle paying extra for road work

City comes up $ 41,000 short for grant- assisted overlay project

news@theeveningtimes.com

Earle will be writing the state a check for an additional $41,000 to cover the extra cost to overlay about two miles of streets.

The city received $250,000 from the Street Aid Program, which provides funding and engineering assistance to cities and counties for road resurfacing, but according to Mayor Sherman Smith, the state underestimated the cost of the project.

“They were in our city measuring in 2017, but the roads have gotten worse and the cost has gone up,” Smith said.

This is the second time the city has had to come up with additional money for the paving. The project was originally supposed to cost $301,851 leaving the city having to make up the roughly $50,000 difference. City Treasurer Cynthia Conner said the city already paid the state $41,419. The City Council approved spending an additional $41,625.

“We budgeted $65,000 for roads,” Conner said. “So we have that money in the account already.”

The list of streets that will get a two inch asphalt overlay include portions of South Street, Rollins Street, Cartwright Street, Park Street, Draper Street, 4th Street, Oak Street, Arkansas Street, and Whitman Street. All of the streets were graded as fair to poor condition by the state.

Councilman Kenneth Cross asked why the cost estimates by the state came in so far off the original estimate.

“That’s a big mistake they made,” Cross said.

Smith said engineers first looked at the streets in 2017. When they came back, the streets were in worse shape which would require more asphalt and fill. In the meantime, the cost of asphalt has gone up to $225 a ton.

“The extra money is because there is a greater patching need from when they originally surveyed,” Smith said. “In order to build it up you have to dig it out and make it good and solid first so it lasts longer.”

Smith said the state gave him the option of using fewer materials, but he doesn’t want to cut back on the quality of the work.

“They said they could cut the figure down by not putting as much fill back in it,” Smith said. “I said no because if we’re going to do it, even if we only get two streets done, I want it done right. They can dig less and charge you less. But it’s not going to last as long. You would be throwing good money after bad.”

Cross agreed.

“I want the streets done right too,” Cross said. “But $41,000 is a big mistake.

That’s all I’m saying.”

“Yes, it is,” Smith added.

“But at the end of the day you can pay the difference and get a good job, or you can get a shoddy job.”

County Judge Woody Wheeless said it’s not unusual for the state to come back with a higher cost estimate.

“We’ve had the same issues,” Wheeless said. “We got $250,000 from the state too. The state sends their personnel to the areas I ask them to look at. When they actually decide the cost, they base it off the costs of what asphalt is selling for.” Wheeless said there is only one asphalt plant in eastern Arkansas that serves Crittenden County and it is owned by APAC.

That leaves the county at the mercy of whatever APAC is selling asphalt for. “They may tell me they can get it done for $80 a ton,” Wheeless said. “Well, when APAC or whoever bids on it comes back at $95 a ton, that’s out of our hands. That’s usually what drives the costs up. They are the only provider in the county.”

Cross asked whether there was anywhere else to buy asphalt for less money.

“Is there not an asphalt plant in Jonesboro?” Cross asked.

Wheeless said there is a cold mix asphalt plant in Jonesboro which is also owned by APAC. Contractors can not haul asphalt in because it needs to be kept hot.

Cold mix is a type of asphalt commonly used to repair potholes on rural or low traffic roads.

“Nobody will haul it over here,” Wheeless said.

“They said the product deteriorates. We’ve had other companies that have won the bid. But they have bought their asphalt from APAC.”

Smith said the state should begin the roadwork sometime in the next two weeks.

By Mark Randall