Committee forwards $366,662 microsurfacing contract to full council

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — The Huntington Public Works Committee voted June 9 to forward to full council a resolution authorizing the mayor to contract with Strauser Construction Inc. of Columbus, Ohio, to provide microsurfacing, chip seal, fiber mat and crack sealing on city streets for an amount not to exceed $366,661.75.

The measure, presented by Mark Bates, Huntington public works director, was based on a State of West Virginia purchasing contract and would be paid from the public works street paving budget. Bates said the treatment is a maintenance alternative to standard mill-and-fill paving intended to extend pavement life and reduce costs.

"Microsurfacing on average is a third of the cost of the standard 1 and a half inch mill and fill," Bates said. He told the committee microsurfacing can extend a pavement's life "9 to 12 years if properly treated in the asphalt's life cycle," cures quickly so traffic can return within 90 minutes and provides a protective layer that reduces water intrusion and cracking.

Committee discussion clarified that severely damaged sections would be repaired before microsurfacing. "So if a street is bad enough where it's full of potholes, that would be dealt with with traditional paving methods or does this fill in potholes as well?" asked Miss Miller, a committee member. Bates said the vendor would subcontract local contractors to perform targeted repairs, known as skip pave, and then apply microsurfacing.

A motion to forward the resolution to full council with a favorable recommendation passed by voice vote. Miss Walling agreed to sponsor the item at council.

The committee also removed the meeting's first agenda item at legal staff's request earlier in the session; that procedural action was adopted before the contract discussions.