City wants input on how to spend road repair money

Meetings this week plan to address public’s priorities.

If you want a closer look at how Lake Worth plans to spend $40 million to fix its many potholes, here’s your chance.

The city is hosting a Community Involvement Meeting on Wednesday and Thursday. The meeting, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., will be held at 1121 Lucerne Ave.

The city said the purpose is to discuss roadway projec ts and get feedback on what improvements residents would like to see.

The meeting Wednesday will deal with residents in part of District 3 — North M Street from Lucerne Avenue to 19th Avenue North (Wellesley Drive).

The meeting Thursday is for the rest of District 3 — North K Street from Lucerne Avenue to Ninth Avenue, North J Street from 13th Avenue to 16th Avenue, and 14th and 15th Avenue North from North J Street to Dixie Highway.

Engineer ing firms and proj e c t pl a nners wil l be meeting with residents in the coming months. In addition, a citizen oversight committee has been formed to make sure all money is spent only on roads, a major concern and one of the main reasons the $63 million road repair bond failed in 2014.

Work on the four-ye ar project is expected to start in late spring or early summer. Some of the roads that will be repaired in the first year include 12th Avenue South, Cochran Drive, North J Street, South J Street, 13th Avenue North to 20th Avenue North and Terrace Drive West.

In November, residents overwhelmingly approved a stripped-down, $40 million bond, with 69 percent of the 9,649 votes cast in favor.

“This is transformative for the city,” City Manager Michael Bornstein told The Palm Beach Post after the election. “Anytime residents are willing to say, ‘Here’s a problem that needs to be fixed and we’re willing to step up to the plate,’ it’s huge.”