Staff says Hancock and Elm street repairs are on schedule after pipe work; asbestos pipes prompted extra digs

A resident asked the Finance Committee when Hancock Street and Elm Street paving would occur; city staff said crews found asbestos pipes during recent work, which required plan changes, and that Hancock and Elm are scheduled to be paved the next day.

"One of the pipes that they found was asbestos pipes, so they had to kind of pivot and change their plan," Speaker 3, a city public‑works staff member, said. Later in the meeting staff said Hancock and Elm were "on schedule for tomorrow."

A resident also asked whether Elm Street had been sufficiently prepared; staff said Elm appeared ready and that Hancock needed completion of manhole and pipe work before paving. The public‑works update noted the city had recently invested roughly $2 million in local road work and partnered on a state project of about $18 million.

Staff also described deployment of a scanning vendor (StreetScan) that uses LIDAR to produce condition assessments for every street and sidewalk so the city can prioritize deferred maintenance and plan multi‑year pavement investments.

Why it matters: paving and utility work affect traffic, business access and winter safety; asbestos found in buried pipe requires care and sequencing before paving.

Next steps: staff will proceed with the scheduled paving if conditions permit, monitor the Elm/Hancock work, and share updates with residents if schedules change.