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Santa Fe council hears complaints about GLO-funded paving quality, planners say contractor must finish punch list
Summary
City officials say the General Land Office-funded paving project (about 2.7 million dollars, roughly 5.36 miles) is complete but still has punch-list items; contractor must finish cleanup and repairs under a one-year warranty and GLO oversight.
Mayor Brandon Noto opened the March 27 City of Santa Fe council meeting with updates on several city projects, including follow-up on the General Land Office-funded street paving work that has drawn resident complaints about workmanship.
Public Works staff said the contractor has completed most paving work and is removing silt fence, cleaning edges and resodding where needed, but several punch-list items remain, including cracked driveways, seams and edge millings left at some sites. Staff and council members said geotechnical and density reports were satisfactory and that sections of asphalt exceed 3.5 inches in places, but visible seam marks and differences in crown height remain in some areas.
The city said the project—described during the meeting as about 5.36 miles and funded by the Texas General Land Office (GLO) at approximately $2.7 million—was administered under standard GLO and HUD grant oversight. Staff noted multiple layers of review and documentation are required before final payment: city and county reviewers, the engineering firm (IDS), and GLO project managers must sign off on daily worksheets and reports before invoices are released.
Council members pressed staff on timelines and accountability. Public Works reported the contractor has a final walkthrough yet to complete and that IDS, the contractor and GLO personnel will participate in a joint final inspection before the city approves final payment. Staff also confirmed a one-year warranty period will be required, during which the contractor is to return and make repairs at no additional cost.
Council members and staff said some roads initially planned as additional miles were removed from the work plan after inspectors found unsuitable base conditions on five streets; those streets received cement stabilization, which consumed the budgeted contingency and precluded adding extra miles.
Staff advised that the contractor indicated a desire to wrap up outstanding items within weeks, though the GLO deadline for project completion extends through August. Council members repeatedly said they expect the contractor to correct visible workmanship issues—seam irregularities, leftover millings at edges, and spots that prevent proper drainage—before final acceptance.
The city manager and Public Works director said the city will withhold final payment until the required inspections and the formal punch-list are completed and accepted by all oversight parties. Council members emphasized documentation and insistence on repairs to avoid future road failures and drainage problems.
Ending: Council members asked staff to continue updating them on the final walkthrough and to ensure the contractor remedies the listed issues. The council did not take a separate vote on acceptance of the project at this meeting beyond confirming the timeline and warranty expectations.
