Bessemer council approves road work

BESSEMER — The Bessemer City Council agreed to proceed with four paving projects on three streets Monday.

The three roads to be paved are Gyluna Street, Bessemer Plywood Road and Silver Street.

City manager Michael Uskiewicz was absent, but provided a written report. He said he had Angelo Luppino Inc. provide estimates.

The cost is $33,355, but funding for the project is not part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development project scope.

Instead, Uskiewicz said in his report, the city has unrestricted reserve money available that carried over into the fiscal year.

About $90,000 carried over. Previously, the city used $30,000 on an excavator, leaving $60,000 remaining in the fund. In addition, Uskiewicz said the city added $27,000 paving fund through selling property.

Uskiewicz said the city can use portions from both accounts to fund the project. If the city’s crew does some preparation work, Uskiewicz said the estimates will come down.

On Gyluna Street, the project calls for 419-by-22-foot wedge and relay costing $11,986.

The Bessemer Plywood road project involves patching two “very bad areas.” One patch is 57-by-11-feet and the other is a 50-by-25-feet. Patching the two areas will cost $7,508.

On Silver Street, grading and paving will be done on a 551-by-22-foot section. Additionally, the project involves “fixing” the intersection at Pine and Silver streets. The project is estimated at $13,040. “This is the gravel portion of Silver street that’s never been paved,” Uskiewicz said in his report. There is also a small 40-by-21-foot patch west of the gravel road at an estimated repair cost of $821.

According to council member Al Gaiss, the work is scheduled to start around Labor Day.

When the projects are completed, council member Doug Olsen said it will have a positive impact on the city.

“These areas need a lot of work,” he said. “They won’t look shabby when it’s done.”