Oxnard approves $6.6 million contract for neighborhood street resurfacing

The Oxnard City Council voted unanimously to award a $6,607,000 contract to Onyx Paving Company for Phase 1 of the Citywide Neighborhood Street Resurfacing project and approved a project contingency and associated engineering funds, a package totaling roughly $7 million.

Council members said the work targets badly deteriorated residential streets and will include mill-and-overlay repairs on most blocks and preventative treatments where appropriate. The contract covers neighborhoods identified in the staff report as Cabrillo C, Rio West, Rose Park, Pleasant Valley and South Winds. The council also approved budget adjustments transferring modest amounts from the Water and Wastewater operating funds and a partial appropriation from the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account, to cover the project.

City Public Works Director Michael Wolf told the council the project was advanced now because several right-of-way questions remain in the adjacent Colonia neighborhood and staff did not want to delay work elsewhere while title and property-line details are finalized. “We didn't wanna wait. Prices sometimes don't get cheaper, and so we didn't wanna waste any time,” Wolf said during the meeting. He described staff outreach to residents, noting the team has narrowed disagreements to about five property owners and plans title checks to confirm parcel lines before the next phase.

The contract documents call for a mix of corrective and preventive pavement treatments: most streets in this phase will receive a mill-and-overlay corrective repair while other streets will receive slurry or preventive treatments. Staff said the wearing course on many streets will use rubberized asphalt, a slightly higher-cost material that incorporates recycled tire rubber and reduces traffic noise. Project inspection, testing and construction management are included in the staff allocation.

Council members asked about warranty and quality control. Public Works staff said contractors provide a standard one-year warranty and the city performs quality-assurance testing during construction; staff said they will require contractors to return and correct defects within the warranty period. The city reported four bidders responded to the solicitation.

The council moved and seconded the recommendation and approved the contract and funding package by a 7-0 vote.

The city will post construction notices to affected residents in advance; staff said residents adjacent to construction receive an initial project notice, a four-business-day advance notice and a two-business-day reminder prior to work and that changeable message signs are used for larger notifications.

Action on the contract is part of a multiyear pavement-management plan the council adopted last year; staff said the plan balances corrective work to fix badly damaged streets and preventative maintenance to preserve streets that remain in fair or good condition.

Votes at a glance: Onyx Paving Company contract, $6,607,000; contingency and inspection allocations approved; council vote 7-0 to approve.