In response to the numerous potholes that scar the city's streets from the savage winter, the City of Pottsville 2014 Street Maintenance and Improvement Program may be dedicated strictly to the city's Urgent Repair List, according to Councilman Ronald J. Moser.
On a typical year, city officials and Superintendent of Streets Daniel E. Kelly would plan to repave select streets. This year, the $75,000 road resurfacing budget will be used to patch a collection of streets severely damaged by the winter weather, Moser said after the city council's May meeting Monday.
"The significant investment of time and money that was applied to winter maintenance is now replaced with the task of assessing and repairing the 44 miles of paved road surfaces in our community. As always, the largest challenge that we face is making needed repairs with the limited amount of funds that are available," Moser said.
According to the city's 2014 budget, the total state liquid fuels revenue the city received for the year was $294,070. Of that, $75,000 was set aside for road resurfacing.
The city struggles to keep up with the wear and tear of its streets, according to City Administrator Thomas A. Palamar.
"Every year, it seems, the amount of state liquid fuels funding has been going down," Palamar said previously.
He illustrated his point by providing the amounts the city received in the past few years: 2008, $340,094; 2009, $328,075; 2010, $316,307; 2011, $314,536; 2012, $310,164; and 2013, $296,385.
The streets on the city's Urgent Repair List include: Peacock Street, Progress Avenue, Laurel Boulevard and Progress Avenue, East Railroad Street and Terry Reiley Way, Morgan Avenue, Davis Avenue, Fleet Street (Greenwood to Edwards) and Westwood Road (Woodglen to the city line), according to a press release developed by Kelly and Moser.
"This is a growing list that is sure to change. We plan to do our very best to mobilize our crews and keep them working as funds permit," Moser said.
The city keeps an inventory on its streets and updates it with reports from council members, the street department and citizens.
"These areas are reviewed based on the following criteria: size and condition of the street, how much the road is used and what type of repair is needed," Moser said.
"In spite of limited budgets, challenging weather and aging infrastructure, our commitment to repair our streets and infrastructure will continue in 2014," Moser said.