Street projects slow but ongoing

Maple Hill, Eighth, North Murphy to be asphalted next

The city is forging ahead with its 2021 street repaving program, despite inclement weather and coronavirus (COVID-19)-related scheduling delays with its contractors.

Robert Edmonds, director of public works, and street superintendent James Lewis, recently updated El Dorado City Council members on the progress of the annual street milling and asphalting projects.

The work got a boost with an additional $5 million that was added to the city’s street budget for 2020 and 2021 and is being divided equally among the city’s four wards.

In 2020, the city council and El Dorado Works Board approved the $5 million to help bolster the existing $1.3 million Street Department budget and to cover more streets as part of the yearly street overlay program.

The EWB administers the city’s one-cent, sales tax that is designated for economic development, municipal infrastructure and quality-of-life projects.

Some of the work that was scheduled in 2020 was not done due to a slowdown in activity because of COVID-19, which affected labor and materials for contractors.

The allotment was broken down in half, with $2.5 million for 2020 and the other half this year.

Each ward was granted $1.5 million to spread among the two years.

Ward 4 is using much of its cut for an expansion and improvement project for Fifth Street between North West and North College avenues.

The purpose of the project, which was proposed and vetted by Council member Paul Choate, who represents Ward 4, Position 1, to help improve safety and expedite traffic flow along that segment of Fifth, which clocks an average daily traffic count of 4,200 vehicles and is a primary route to the Emergency Room at Medical Center of South Arkansas.

The project began in January at the intersection of College and Fifth and since then, crews have added a northbound turn lane from College onto Fifth; widened the sections of the street; and installed

new curbs, gutters, sidewalks and street lights.

Last month, the city council approved a change order, adding $60,000 to the $850,000 budget.

Edmonds said then that an issue had cropped up that halted work on the project.

As crews neared the intersection of North West and Fifth, they uncovered that a concrete street underneath the asphalt — an issue that would cause problems after the road work was completed unless the concrete was removed, said Edmonds.

“From the top of that hill at Ouachita (Avenue) down to North West was concrete at one point in time. We have to take that concrete out … If we don’t, we’re going to immediately have reflective cracking,” he added.

Crews have since gone back to work on the job.

Lewis also told council members in July that the 2021 street re-pavement/ milling program had started on Julia Street and once asphalt became available, crews would then move to Maple Hill and Liberty.

In an update on Aug. 11, Lewis reported that Julia, Liberty between North West and North College avenues and Junction City Road near Strong Highway have all been milled and overlaid.

He added that there was a little work left to do on Marrable Hill.

Streets that were milled in July and are next up to be asphalted are Eighth between Emmett and Bradford; North Murphy from West Main to Mount Holly Road; and Maple Hill, he said.

“How long will this go on? Will it go into September?” Council member Billy Blann asked of the re-pavement program for 2021.

“It typically goes until the end of October and then it gets too cool,” Edmonds said.

Lewis and Edmonds also said that scheduling conflicts and the delivery of materials are affecting the work, adding that such issues are affecting such projects across the country due to COVID.

“They’re out there this week and they’re going to pull them off next week and they’ll be back the week after that,” Lewis said, referring to the contractors for the job.

Edmonds said Smackover Paving is the “installer” and Jet Asphalt is the “manufacturer.”