Milton residents who regularly commute or live on Alabama and Dixon Streets, including a portion of North Avenue, might have noticed repair along the roadways. City officials say the work could be completed as early as next week.
Earlier this year, the council voted to spend $250,000 in order to refurbish and resurface the streets, which is currently being contracted through Panhandle Grading and Paving Inc.
Milton Public Works Director George Rials said the roadwork began late last month and include the following resurfacing:
- Alabama Street – Berryhill Road to Munson Highway consisting of 3,104 feet
- Alabama Street – Munson Highway to North Avenue consisting of 1,742 feet
- North Avenue – a 1,362 foot portion or the roadway
- Dixon Street – Stewart Street to Broad Street consisting of 1572 feet
Rials said a little more footage was used to resurface the curbs to the many streets which intersect to Alabama Street.
“To make the project complete, we would need to do at least 30 feet back on those intersections,” Rials said. “So you don’t have old rough pavement coming up to the new paved road.”
The project began with milling, then applying bituminous crack relief layer to reduce cracking on the road and the resurfacing.
Currently, the crews are putting temporary striping or traffic markings on the roadways allowing the pavement to cure for 30 days. After the month-long period, the permanent striping will be installed and the road project would be completed.
Rials said this is a positive first step for addressing deteriorating road conditions.
“The goal is to try and get our transportation system up to date as best as we can,” Rials said. “We are going to look at the condition of the roads first and foremost and then you have to look at the traffic patterns.”
Council Member Jimmy Messick hopes this will be part of many road work projects to come for the near future. However, as chairman of the city’s finance committee, Messick cautions the continued road work projects will occur based on how much the city’s budget will allow.
“We hope that the funding is coming, but we don’t want to jump on another project without knowing,” Messick said.
The funding for the current road project came from the city’s general reserve fund.
While Messick said using the money from the reserve funds might not be a comfortable decision, repairing the roads in need is something residents have long wanted.
“This was something people have been asking me about since I was campaigning,” Messick said. “I am just tickled that we are able to do this.”
Among the residents living along Alabama Street, Jessica Steele and her young family recently moved to Milton. Steele said she could often hear the tire scraping on the old roadway when coming to a stop at the intersection near her house.
“It was definitely needed,” she said. “We were used to living in EscambiaCounty where things were done pretty randomly, so it’s nice to see something get done on this road.”
Elected officials with insight from city staff will discuss potential road projects at an upcoming workshop. Messick also encourages citizens to share their input by contacting him or the elected council member representing their ward.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Milton roadway repairs nearly complete