NL finishes round of municipal housekeeping

New London - Streets are being cold-milled, resurfaced, curbed and re-aligned. Cracked and damaged sidewalks are being dug up and replaced. Diseased trees are being cut down, damaged branches are being pruned.

If it wasn't fall, you'd think it was spring cleaning.

The first phase of the city's $10 million infrastructure improvement program, which also includes purchasing new vehicles, improving some public buildings and fixing up public parks, is now complete.

City officials are now evaluating the program and figuring out what jobs to tackle next spring.

"I've got to give these guys a lot of credit,'' Keith Chapman, special assistant to the city manager, said of the municipal employees who completed just under two miles of road improvements on 11 streets.

"I just came up Crescent Street. All the new curbing is in, the sod is in, the pavement is done. It really looks nice,'' he said. "If you live on that street, you've got to be happy."

In 2007, following a report on the status of the city's infrastructure needs, the City Council approved a $10 million bond package to make improvements.

It was the first long-range, comprehensive plan to improve city streets and sidewalks, upgrade parks and playgrounds, replace old municipal vehicles and fix public buildings, Chapman said.

When completed, the city will have spent about $2 million on public parks, $2 million in replacing aging motor vehicles, $2 million on a new transfer station and scale for public works, and about $4 million in road and sidewalks improvements.

Other work being done includes painting the interior of the senior center and installing new carpeting. The Stanton Building on Union Street is also scheduled for a face-lift with interior painting, new carpeting, asbestos removal and renovations to the main conference room.

The city has taken about 70 old vehicles off the road and replaced them with 50 new ones. City trucks and vehicles are now white and gray and display the city seal.

Also, a truck scale and administrative offices at the Lewis Street transfer station will be replaced. Underground fuel tanks and new fueling stations will be installed at the public works building.

"It's really amazing what's been accomplished in such a short time,'' Chapman said.

The 2010 construction season, which will begin in the spring, will involved six additional miles of streets.

"Over the winter, we'll break down all the costs and see how we made out with the first phase,'' Chapman said. "We'll figure out the cost for each foot or mile that can be completed over the next few year and hopefully we'll go beyond what the expectations were."

k.edgecomb@theday.com