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Cleveland Heights finance committee weighs boost to road resurfacing funding
Summary
At a March 3 Finance Committee meeting, councilors and city officials discussed the city’s $2.3 million annual street-resurfacing program, department capacity, and options for additional, sustainable funding including repurposing CDBG or adding contract dollars; Councilor Petras proposed a $2 million supplemental commitment for 2025.
Cleveland Heights Finance Committee members and city officials discussed options to expand the city’s road resurfacing program during a March 3 meeting, focusing on a $2.3 million annual resurfacing line, several smaller capital items and the city’s capacity to deliver additional projects.
The discussion centered on three immediate facts: the budget includes $2,300,000 for annual street resurfacing (which the director said covers Euclid Heights Boulevard), a separate $195,000 capital line for Altamont resurfacing, and department capacity limits that require contracting out full-street resurfacing.
Council President Kuda opened the item by asking how many streets the $2.3 million would cover. Director Klinkscale, Public Works Director, replied, “Probably about 8 to 9 streets we'll be doing out of that road resurfacing.” Klinkscale said the department handles potholes and certain rehabilitation work in-house but contracts out major resurfacing projects: “We contract out that work. . . . We don't have the capacity to do that. No way, no.”
Councilor Petras compared Cleveland Heights to nearby municipalities and urged a sizable increase in funding. “Our city's population is about 43,000, and our city is about 8 square miles. . . . Shaker, for example, . . . are allocating about $2,500,000 for 2025 for their road program. We are allocating about $2.3. And after the $250,000 match from the county, we are putting in about $2,000,000,” Petras said. He proposed that the city “start with increased funding and consider maybe as much as $2,000,000 additional dollars” for the year.
Officials discussed possible funding sources and process changes rather than approving new dollars at the meeting. Committee members and city staff noted the long-standing use of gas tax receipts and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for road work and raised the possibility of repurposing or supplementing those sources. Staff also said expanding the program would require either additional contractor spending or reallocating existing grants and local revenue.
Timing and contractor constraints were another point of emphasis. Klinkscale said bids typically go out in March or April and resurfacing work usually begins in June or July, with crews aiming to finish by late September or early October. He added a seasonal constraint: contractors generally cannot place concrete after November.
Council members pressed on implementation capacity. Klinkscale confirmed the city could increase contracted work if council provided more money and if contractors were available; he also noted a planned additional staff position to help manage capital projects. “If I remember correctly, there was an additional position that would help with capital projects,” a committee member said; another committee member confirmed, “Yes. We'll have additional help.”
Why this matters: committee members said the city is seeing more freeze–thaw cycles that accelerate pavement deterioration and that the current mix of patching and annual resurfacing may be insufficient to keep pace. Committee members asked the administration to pursue next steps: review potential sustainable funding mechanisms, coordinate with Community Development and Finance on CDBG options, and return with recommendations on how much additional funding could be absorbed and executed in 2025.
The committee did not take a formal vote on new funding. Members agreed to continue the conversation with administration staff, public works and community development and to revisit the proposal at a future meeting.
