Flint Township View

Board approves street and parking projects





FLINT TWP. – Projects to renovate the parking lots at the Flint Township offices, the Carman-Ainsworth Senior Citizens Center/McCarty Library and several streets in the Judd Road/VanSlyke Road area were approved Sept. 4 by the board.

The board approved a $180,000 project to reconstruct the senior center/library parking lot, $37,000 to renovate the parking lot at the township offices, including the closing of the current driveway off Dye Road and relocating it to adjacent Reuben Street, the milling and paving of Ashlawn Drive, Judd Road and Old Carriage Road for $311,000, and the milling and paving of Brookgate Drive for $170,000.

Mike Pifer, of Craft Engineering and Surveying in Flint, said the low bid for the C-A Senior Center and McCarty Library parking lot was from Green Tech at a cost of $156,341. This compared to the highest bid of $309,000, which Pifer said was way too high.

“The Green Tech bid is not too out of line. It is realistic,” said Pifer. “Part one of the project is the west parking lot, which is the primary lot for the senior center and library. The easterly lot is for overflow for bigger events.”

Pifer said the west lot could be done first and the east lot done later, if the board wanted to wait on some of the cost. But, due to the deteriorating condition of the lot, Pifer recommended the entire project be done at once.

He said the condition of the lot is so bad, contractors will have to mill off the top two inches, perform repairs to the rest of pavement, then repave with two new inches of asphalt.

“It’s significant reconstruction, but it will last 10-20 years with proper maintenance,” he said, adding the total cost, with engineering, will be $180,000.

Approximately $60,000 will come from Community Development Block Grant funds, $27,534 from the senior center’s budget, Flint Township will contribute $10,000 for the sign not built this year for the senior center and the library will contribute $43,000 from its budget.

That breakdown gives the township $140,000 total funding, leaving it to take $40,000 from the general fund to complete the remaining portion of the project.

The board awarded the contract to Green Tech, with work expected to begin later this month with completion by the end of September.

As for the township parking lot and entrance drive, Pifer recommended relocating the drive off Dye Road to Reuben Drive, diverting traffic from the west side of the building where foot-traffic crosses the drive from the water and sewer department.

“The current drive is next to building, visibility for left turn traffic off Dye is bad, drivers can’t see people coming out of the sewer, water and treasurer’s offices. It’s mostly a safety issue.”

At an estimated $37,000 for the project, Pifer recommended the board take the money for the project from leftover road funds – $156,000 – used on the Court Street project

He said bids and specifications need to be prepared. After bids are submitted the lowest bidder capable of doing the job will be selected and the project can move ahead. Pifer said it is too late in the year, but the township could move immediately to try and get it done. Deer hunting season – end of construction season.

The board can also opt to wait until spring of 2019 to do the project.

The final projects discussed were the milling and resurfacing of Ashlawn Drive, Judd Road, Old Carriage Road and Brookgate Drive.

The cost of this project, Pifer said, is $311,671, which includes construction, engineering and reconstruction of some catch basins.

Funding for the project will come from the township’s road budget, using funds generated through the road millage. There is $315,000 available in that account, which will cover the cost.

These streets will have to be milled down 3.5 inches and resurfaced, due to their condition.

Trustee Barb Vert questioned why these streets were considered and not Brookgate Drive, which she said she thinks is in far worse condition.

“I don’t get it,” she said. “Brookgate looks like a bomb went off on it.”

While the board has tried to stick with the road plan, doing Brookgate now would be a little early according to the schedule. The board decided, however, to tack on the milling and repaving of Brookgate Drive at an additional $170,000.

The funds for this project will come from the Lincor Park paving project, which will not take place this year as the township works out funding with the businesses located there. That $164,000 will be diverted to Brookgate for this fiscal year and the rest made up from leftover Court Street monies.


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