Jackson aldermen OK street repair program

Jackson residents may see even more construction crews in the next few days as the city has approved its latest asphalt improvement program.

The board of aldermen on Monday night accepted a $107,526 bid from the Apex Paving Co.

This is in addition to the Missouri Department of Transportation's major widening project that is under construction on West Jackson Boulevard.

Overall, 10 streets are up for repairs under the latest program, ranging as far west as Old Toll Road and as far east as Old Cape Road East. In all, about 4,300 feet of roadway will be asphalted, plus the Litz Park parking lot.

City engineer Dan Triller said he expects Apex to be in and out of the city within four or five days, weather permitting. Depending on the weather, the contractor will begin work today.

"They don't mess around," he said. "They bring all the equipment and personnel in to get it done quickly."

The city overlays a certain number of streets every fall. Triller said the city expects to get about 15 years of life out of every overlay.

The city's street inspector monitors the streets and makes a determination on which streets are in the poorest condition, Triller said.

Triller said the contractor will first go in and repair areas below the road surface that have failed before applying the asphalt. Most of the $46,445 that will go for such patching will occur on the streets that will be overlayed, Triller said. But some area beyond the 10 designated streets will be patched, Triller said.

Sherry McKenzie, who lives at 2527 Old Toll Road, said the road in front of her house could use some help. The repairs are welcome, she said, but the road is too narrow, barely wide enough for two cars.

The plans don't call for widening, but at least the path will be smoother.

"The road has had a lot of damage off and on since I've been here," she said. "They come in and fix it and then the potholes come back."

bmiller@semissourian.com

243-6635