ASHLAND — Ashland City Council expects to spend $400,000 to resurface 12 streets this summer.
The plan pales in comparison to 2023’s program, which led to the resurfacing of 60 streets with $2.6 million.
Though this year’s list is not as broad as 2023’s, Ashland mayor Matt Miller emphasized the city will get sections of two major thoroughfares — U.S. Route 42 bypass and Sandusky Street — repaved for a deep discount to Ashland taxpayers.
That project, expected to start in July, will cost $4.5 million. But Ohio Department of Transportation will cover the lion’s share of its cost. Since those streets run through the city, Ashland’s financial obligation could be $744,536.
Most of the city’s financial obligation for the ODOT project will come from Ashland’s income-tax funded street resurfacing program, established in 2016.
Portions of the project could also be funded with portions of the city’s American Rescue Plan Act money, officials said.
Fewer streets this summer
The trade-off, however, is that Ashland residents will see fewer streets paved this summer.
The mayor said Sarver Paving, the contractor hired for its resurfacing program in May 2023, didn’t start paving until August. The firm had until the end of October to finish paving the streets.
Not all the streets were paved.
“It was not (Sarver Paving’s) fault they didn’t complete the work — we changed it,” Miller said.
He said the city approached the firm about making more repairs to Claremont Avenue, which totaled $145,000. The company agreed, leaving the contract “open,” Miller said.
Since the contract was open, Miller said the city approached the firm about 11 other streets around Ashland in need of repair.
“They agreed they would honor the same price they gave us in 2023 if we just altered the original contract,” Miller said.
A representative from Sarver Paving was not immediately available to comment.
The city has not announced when the repaving will begin this summer. In a Facebook post, Miller pointed to the list of streets he hopes are paved this year.
He also said 22 alleys around the city will see new pavement on them. He said that will be the first time “this has been done in more than 20 years.”
Since 2016, when Ashland voters approved of an income tax to fund the city’s street resurfacing program, the city has paved “over 200,” according to the mayor. The figure amounts to 124 lane miles.
There are 315 streets in Ashland, or 220 lane miles.