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Durham council approves $3.42 million contract to pave selected unpaved streets after debate on opt-outs and safety
Summary
After residents urged an opt-out for one block, Durham City Council on Nov. 3 approved a $3,421,687.10 contract with SunRock Industries LLC to pave selected unpaved streets in the city’s Phase 1 bond program, added a $171,084.36 contingency fund and authorized modifications up to $3,592,000. Council directed staff to consult transportation and Vision Zero staff on pedestrian-safety concerns.
Durham City Council on Nov. 3 authorized the city manager to execute contract ST-337 (Unpaved Roads Phase 1) with SunRock Industries LLC for $3,421,687.10, approving the measure 6–1 with Council member Freeman opposed.
The vote followed public comment from Wallace Street resident Orlando Watson, who asked the council to reject the contract for his block and allow a process to opt out. "Our gravel roads act as de facto sidewalks and calm traffic," Watson said, adding that the contract does not include funding for drainage, curbs or gutters. Watson urged the council to permit residents to preserve pedestrian safety and neighborhood character.
Clint Blackburn of Environmental and Street Services told the council the contract includes a line item to clear ditches and reestablish positive flow but does not fund broader storm‑drain upgrades. "There will be an insignificant amount of difference between the paved versus unpaved," Blackburn said, explaining many gravel roads are already compacted and that paving projects will re‑establish ditch flow. He also said gravel roads require more frequent maintenance by city crews, while asphalt maintenance tends to be less frequent but more substantial when performed.
Council members debated equity and service‑delivery principles that underpinned the citywide paving directive approved by voters last year as part of a bond package that received about 70% approval. Supporters said paving addresses historical disinvestment and yields cost efficiencies when projects are bid and completed together; others urged a narrowly tailored review for streets with specific pedestrian‑safety concerns.
Before the final vote the council considered, then withdrew, an amendment that would have excluded Wallace Street if 100% of residents demonstrated support for opting out. Members and the city attorney questioned how a government could define and legally require a "100%" threshold that includes owners and renters. The council settled instead on direction to staff: transportation and the Vision Zero coordinator should be consulted to evaluate pedestrian safety and, if warranted, recommend design changes or traffic‑calming measures prior to construction.
In addition to awarding the contract, the council unanimously approved a contingency fund of $171,084.36 and later authorized the city manager to negotiate and execute contract modifications provided the total contract cost did not exceed $3,592,000.
What’s next: Staff will consult the transportation department and the Vision Zero coordinator on pedestrian‑safety recommendations for streets in the contract and report back as projects move into design and implementation. The Street Maintenance Division and project managers will implement the awarded contracts and the contingency as directed by council.
Votes at a glance: ST‑337 contract award to SunRock Industries LLC — $3,421,687.10 (passed 6–1; Freeman no). Contingency fund — $171,084.36 (passed unanimously). Manager authorized to execute contract modifications up to $3,592,000 (passed unanimously).
