Council weighs $134,000 full-depth fix for battered intersection ahead of $400,000 chip-seal work

Public Works Director said the city's streets scored 84 out of 100 under the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board framework and that while a planned chip-seal project funded at about $400,000 would cover many road segments, it would not address a severely damaged intersection near Well 4 and the city limits. He recommended a full-depth reclamation of the intersection plus spot patching elsewhere at an estimated $134,000, and said the work should precede the chip-seal to prevent repeating the same failures.

"Everybody that I've had look at it said, chip seal is putting a band aid on an gaping wound and it's just a waste of money," the Public Works Director said, arguing the deeper repair and drainage correction would be more durable. He described the full-depth option as including cutting out failing material, reshaping ditches and shoulders for drainage, and rebuilding the roadway to handle inbound truck traffic.

Council members discussed funding options and procurement. One councilor said the city currently has about $130,000 in the street fund and noted that Bill (a city official mentioned in the discussion) indicated the street fund and the general fund can share resources. The Public Works Director flagged MRSC guidance that public bidding is generally good practice though not always strictly required for every project.

No formal vote on the $134,000 repair is recorded in the transcript. The council expressed a consensus to pursue planning and to get further details from staff on bidding and the precise funding split before returning the item for a formal decision.