WARSAW — Plans on how to utilize $1,440 million on streets in Warsaw was presented by Jeff Beeler, public works superintendent, during Tuesday evening’s Warsaw Common Council meeting. The presentation included the methods to improve roads, costs per district and the blueprint with road grades to be used now and through the future.

The plan will utilize means to cover the most miles based on pavement management data. Beeler noted three methods will be used: preservation, rehabilitation and reconstruction. The city has 220 lane miles of roadway, following the old rule of repairing the worst roads first, the city could only do two lane miles a year, leaving 218 lane miles not being touched for 110 years.

He stated the goal is to preserve existing roads and see how far “you can stretch the money you have.”

Beeler went over the methods for each practice. Preservation and rehabilitation methods give give additional life to a road and are less expensive than rehabilitation. He also presented the number of lane miles to be used in each method. The goal with the $1.440 million is to complete 38.6 miles of roadway by the end of 2017.

Cost per district on the dollar amount of work was given: District 1 — $381,910; District 2 — $271,550; District 3 — $401,072; District 4 — $213,000 and District 5 — $175,258. He also pointed out Warsaw street value is $80 million or $360,000 per lane mile if all the roads were to be reconstructed. The budget for street repairs is only $400,000-$500,000.

“Preservation is something we cannot afford not to do,” said Beeler.

Projects chosen were based on a rating formula and road grades, and will be used in an annual process.

“The plan provides time, number and money for a highway health check. We know how many miles for each treatment,”said Beeler.

It was noted maps showing which streets will be targeted for preservation work, which streets for rehabilitation work are available at the street department and will soon be available on the city’s website. Street department officials will be contacting those residents affected by the work, as some of the work requires a four to six hour shutdown of a street.

“The project we go for may fail. Nothing is 100 percent perfect all the time. But don’t jump ship with one failure,” Beeler stressed. “We need to stay the course.”

Other Matters

Beeler also provided an update on the Main Street reconstruction project, with paving to take place Friday, pending on weather. The second phase of the project will be completed by the end of September.

Beeler also reported on the experience of five department members who traveled to Kokomo to assist in the tornado clean up, two days after the disaster. A larger group went today (Wednesday, Sept. 7).

During other business the council heard the CCAC budget request, of $31,000, the same as previous years. They also heard the organization has received an offer from R. R. Donnelly to purchase the property.

Approval was given for the annual establishing of the deer nuisance zones in the city. Councilman Jeff Grose explained the program to new council members.

Approval was also given authorizing the parks department to apply for a grant of $100,000 for projects.

Ordinances establishing three new funds for local road and bridge matching grants and transfer of funds into those areas were approved.

The council also accepted a payment from Mediacom in the amount of $4,628.30.