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Council authorizes preliminary design for 2025 street projects and flags Kelly Avenue water‑main replacement
Summary
Orono directed the city engineer to begin design for 2025 street maintenance (project 25‑1) and accepted Bolton's proposal to design Brown Road North (25‑2). Staff estimated about $3.2 million in candidate work and flagged a full 1969‑era water‑main replacement on Kelly Avenue; both motions passed 5–0.
Orono — The Orono City Council on July 8 directed the city engineer to proceed with preliminary planning for a slate of 2025 street‑maintenance projects and approved design work for the Brown Road North MSA project, after staff presented cost estimates and utility considerations.
Adam, the city administrator/engineer, said the candidate list of streets under consideration totaled roughly $3.2 million, with approximately $1.5 million of that amount expected to come from the pavement/street fund. "Right now...that would be about $1,500,000 worth of pavement work," Adam said, and staff noted a preliminary levy planning figure of $1,000,000 for 2025 to help fund the work.
Adam told council that Kelly Avenue will likely require full water‑main replacement because the existing piping is "1969 vintage" and has experienced multiple breaks. "So the thought is since we have that pavement completely tore up, we ought to...replace that water main while we're there," he said.
Council member (speaker 12) moved to direct the city engineer to move forward with preliminary planning for the 2025 Street Maintenance Project (25‑1); the motion was seconded by Council member (speaker 3) and passed 5–0. The council also approved a second motion (25‑2) accepting Bolton's engineering proposal to design the Brown Road North MSA improvement; that motion likewise passed unanimously.
Staff stressed that the design authorizations will produce engineering plans and bid documents; the council may remove alternates or refine the work scope once bids return if costs exceed projections. Adam said the Brown Road North work would likely be a mill‑and‑overlay with some storm‑sewer/culvert repairs and that MSA (Municipal State Aid) funds are a separate funding source typically used for feeder roads.
Next steps: Bolton will proceed with design for the Brown Road North project and the city engineer will develop preliminary designs and cost refinements for the 2025 pavement program so the council can consider final scopes and levy decisions before construction year bidding.
