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Public Works details TIP projects, paving program and central landfill upgrades including new tipping floor and leachate evaporation
Summary
Public Works Manager Cole Grama briefed the assembly on pavement management, TIP projects, landfill campus construction (new entrance, tipping floor) and a leachate evaporation system intended to reduce hauling costs; the division requests two solid‑waste operators and one mechanic in the proposed budget.
Public Works Division Manager Cole Grama told the assembly April 9 that his department is pursuing pavement management, traffic and asset data collection, and a significant central landfill campus improvement that includes a new entrance, tipping floor and leachate evaporation system.
Pavement, traffic data and TIP projects Grama described a multi‑year pavement‑condition collection program that uses sensor‑equipped vehicles to measure pavement distress and inventory roadside assets; that data will inform a formal pavement management program. He also highlighted traffic data collection for planning and traffic calming analyses. The division will carry several bond and voter‑approved TIP projects into construction, including education‑related work and road improvements tied to new schools.
Landfill campus and solid waste Public Works has started construction on a Central Landfill campus entrance off Shanlink Circle and a new tipping floor. Manager Brown’s proposed budget includes two new solid‑waste operator positions to staff the tipping floor and one fleet mechanic to expand the borough’s equipment maintenance capacity. Grama said the leachate evaporation project in the proposed capital program is intended to replace hauling leachate to Anchorage and could save roughly $200,000 a year in hauling costs once operational.
Operational changes and grant success Grama highlighted completed TIP projects, the Port McKenzie pile sleeve (EDA funded) and the Mat‑Su Central School project where combining work produced roughly $2.7 million in savings. He said the department has leveraged federal and state grants for fish‑passage and other infrastructure projects and will continue to pursue funding where available.
Next steps Public Works aims to complete the landfill tipping floor and leachate projects, open new TIP projects for construction this season, and deploy a summer road maintenance dashboard to complement the existing winter operations dashboard. He asked the assembly to consider staffing requests in the manager’s proposed budget and to evaluate ongoing CIP priorities.
