Worthington awards street and sidewalk maintenance contract to Strauser Paving; sidewalk‑gap work included

Worthington City Council on March 17 amended and passed Ordinance 8-2025 to award the city’s 2025 street and sidewalk maintenance program to Strauser Paving and to add four alternates to the base contract.

City Manager Ms. Stewart and staff reported the city received four bids — more competition than in recent years — and that Strauser Paving was the low bidder. Public works staff recommended awarding the base bid plus all four alternates because total bids came in substantially under the city's estimate.

The contract award matters because it funds annual repaving, repairs and limited sidewalk construction tied to repaved streets. Mr. Moorhead explained that a new asphalt plant owned by the low bidder is increasing local industry competition and lowering prices, and he described the city’s quality controls for the product.

Strauser, asphalt capacity and quality controls Mr. Moorhead told council that Strauser Paving has been the low bidder and that the company’s new asphalt plant — expected to begin production in April — helped push competitive pricing down. He said Worthington has adopted Columbus’s asphalt specifications and that all batches must arrive with certification and testing done to those standards. "They cannot sell us asphalt unless it meets those standards," Moorhead said, noting Columbus inspectors certify production receipts used by the city inspector.

Sidewalk gaps program Council and staff also discussed the city’s sidewalk gaps pilot, which staff has integrated into the annual street program. According to staff, engineering will send letters this week or next to homeowners whose properties were identified in the master plan as having sidewalk gaps. The city offered to build sidewalks at no cost to participating property owners, including resolving landscaping or driveway issues when necessary. Staff said three properties were initially locked into the program at bid time; that number had risen to four and more homeowners were being contacted.

Communications and timing Staff said residents whose streets are slated for work will be given a choice to have the city construct the sidewalk or to arrange repairs themselves. The contractor is tentatively scheduled to start in April, pending plant startup; mailings and social-media updates will follow once a contractor start date is finalized.

Council action Council moved to amend and then vote on Ordinance 8-2025 as amended. The motion to amend and to pass the ordinance carried on a roll call vote with all members present voting in favor. The clerk recorded affirmative votes from Miss Herman; Mister Booker; Miss Lloyd; Miss Brewer; Miss Kwalcik; Mister Robinson; and Miss Dorothy. The ordinance as amended was adopted.

What remains The ordinance authorizes the city manager to enter a contract with Strauser Paving and funds the 2025 maintenance program, including the alternates and the sidewalk gap work contingent on homeowner participation. Staff will continue outreach to affected property owners and publish a construction timeline once the contractor confirms a start date.