The Fruita City Council unanimously approved a supplemental budget measure to fund a small street-art traffic-calming pilot and to move additional funds to cover construction costs for the South Mesa revitalization project.
Assistant City Manager Dan Karas told council the first item is a $5,000 request to support street stenciling and other street-art interventions at the Peach and Aspen intersection, with a tentative start date timed before the city’s Fall Fest. “We thought that it would be pretty, timely to try to get this accomplished prior to Fall Fest,” Karas said. He said marketing and communications staff will present renderings to council in September.
Karas also presented an update on the South Mesa revitalization project, which received a 2022 grant award originally described at roughly $1.7 million. He said construction bids came in higher than budgeted and the city must move money to reach the construction total of about $2.4 million. Karas said the supplemental request includes roughly $500,000 for soil testing and force-account work and that “a vast majority of these funds…is actually coming from impact fees,” not the general fund.
Why it matters: Council approved both items to keep two projects moving: a low-cost traffic-calming pilot intended to slow vehicles and create a placemaking opportunity, and a major street and infrastructure improvement in South Mesa that will require additional capital to match construction bids.
Supporting details: Karas said the city budgeted for construction but additional design and soil work and the bid climate increased the needed amount; the administration reduced consultant fees for Roxel and SGM to allow more in-house management and future self-performance. Karas said the Peach and Aspen pilot would be presented in more detail to council in September and that staff are coordinating traffic control and utility connections for adjacent alley projects.
Outcome: Council approved the supplemental appropriation without public comment. The motion passed on a unanimous poll of council members present at the meeting.