Wyoming preps for road work

Before the Wyoming City Council meeting Feb. 17, there was a public hearing related to the 2015 street and utility improvement project. Most questions from city residents were about the cost of the project for individual property owners.

City Engineer Mark Erichson reviewed the scope of the work for the two sections of the city included in the project and the timetable for completion. The first part of the project is east of Forest Boulevard and west of Fenwick north of 263rd Street. It includes 264th, 266th through 270th streets; Felton, Fenwick, Finley, Flintwood, Forli, Foxboro, Freisland and Railroad avenues; Flintwood Circle; Flintwood Lane; and Freeport Court.

The second area is also east of Forest Boulevard but south of Wyoming Trail. Streets included in this area are 261st, 263rd, 264th, Flint Trail Flint Court, Galen Drive, Freeport Avenue and Glen Oak Drive.

Within each area, the proposed improvements include full pavement reclamation and paving of rural streets. Sanitary sewer repairs will be made based on televised reports. Some fire hydrants will be replaced, and others will be added. Drainage improvements will also be made. The lift station on Railroad Avenue will be upgraded. The project includes a total of 4.1 miles of streets to be repaired in the first area, as well as 1.74 miles of streets in the second area.

The total cost of the project is $5.1 million. About $3.3 million of that will go toward street improvements, with the rest split between improvements to sanitary sewers, water mains, storm sewers and lift stations.

Erichson explained that there may be some improvements to ditches so flow is better during rain events.

Most of the area is sandy, so water drains in quickly and there are no plans to add curb and gutter. Those who live on corner lots will only be assessed one as one unit. Residents will only be assessed for improvements if their driveway is on a project street. The assessment portion of the property tax bill is not a tax deductible expense.

City Administrator Craig Mattson explained that the city is assessing the minimum amount allowable for the project (20 percent). The assessment policy will be applied to the surface improvement cost ($3.3 million) for the project area.

The total number of assessable units in the project area is 359.5. Dividing the estimated surface improvement cost by the units, the average assessment per unit is $1,845.84.

According to Mattson, the final assessment numbers are dependent upon the actual bids, when the city needs the money to make payments, interest-rate at the time of the bond sale and the term of the payback. He estimated that the term of the assessment payments will be about five to seven years, with the bank that is buying the bonds setting the interest rate. An assessment hearing will be held in the fall of 2015, when the exact amount of the assessments for each parcel will be known.

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Wyoming preps for road work