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Commission approves $524,841.80 in repairs for Grama Avenue and Eisenhower Drive amid debate over timing and grant prospects
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Summary
The Junction City Commission approved a $524,841.80 change order Oct. 7 to repair multiple pavement failures on Grama Avenue and to mill-and-overlay part of Eisenhower Drive after staff said winter and contractor availability require work this season.
The Junction City Commission on Oct. 7 approved Change Order No. 2 for street maintenance, authorizing $524,841.80 for repairs to Grama Avenue and a mill-and-overlay of Eisenhower Drive.
Public comment opened with resident Sean Chauncey questioning the expenditure, urging commissioners to avoid short-term fixes that could be subsumed by a pending federal BUILD/RAISE grant application. Chauncey said state and federal funding prospects could provide up to $20 million for a full overlay of Grand/Grama Avenue and that local matching obligations might be minimal if the larger grant succeeds.
Public Works staff and the city manager explained why work is being proposed now. Andrew Ibarra (Public Works) told the commission the work covers “blow ups” and more than 20 locations that would not hold up during winter if left unaddressed; crews have already placed nearly 200 tons of asphalt on the inside lane and need extra capacity to finish before asphalt plants close for the season. Ibarra said the estimate for the Grama Avenue concrete patching component was roughly $239,841.80, with the balance covering Eisenhower work.
Commissioners debated alternatives. Several argued for a smaller, targeted concrete repair on the worst four or five bumps on each side to achieve visible improvement at lower cost; others pointed out that mobilization and contractor availability—plus cold-weather limits on concrete placement—make piecemeal changes impractical and possibly more expensive. City Manager Osborne and project engineers said mobilizing a contractor to complete all needed repairs now and using asphalt would allow the work to be completed before winter while preserving the project pipeline for a full overlay bid next year.
After discussion, the commission moved and approved the change order in a voice vote. The action directs staff to proceed with the repairs immediately, coordinate ongoing overlay procurement, and return with any required contract documents and bid packages for the larger overlay work scheduled for solicitation in January.
No federal grant funds were committed by the city as part of this change order; Chauncey and others said they will continue pursuing state and federal funding for a larger reconstruction project in coming months.
