Goodrich – Hegel Road will likely be getting an upgrade.
At the last village council meeting, Nov. 13, village administrator Jakki Sidge told council funds are available through the state to make repairs to Hegel from Seneca Street, west to the top of the hill, if the village was willing to move up the project from its original projected date of 2009.
Ed York, council president, said plans are in place to make repairs to the road since sewer lines necessitated cutting through the road in the early 1990s.
Following the construction, York said a ‘patch job? of sorts was done on the road, with the intention of more extensive repairs in the future.
‘The application was made at least three years to the Genesee County Planning Commission,? said Sidge. ‘The project was originally to start at Seneca and go to the end of the village with curb and gutter most of the way.?
Sidge said original cost estimates for the project were $1.3 million, with the village responsible for approximately $100,000.
Knowing the project was imminent, York said council members from a previous council set aside money for road repairs.
He said construction plans were pushed back when lowering taxes in the village became a priority, meaning less money was available to be designated for the project.
‘The project was postponed after taxes were lowered, but money was still put aside,? said Sidge. Choosing to proceed with the project, added Sidge, is not going to effect the council budget’s bottom line.
However, in the wake of a hurting economy, the government created new programs to generate jobs, including Governor Jennifer Granholm’s ‘Jobs Today? initiative which might be utilized to save the village money.
‘Grant money became available to pay our portion,? said Sidge. Provided the village agree to do only a section of what was previously planned, sooner than anticipated, Goodrich would get half a million dollars? worth of road work for the cost of only the preliminary engineering, estimated at no more than $57,500, she said.
Council members voted unanimously to move forward with the project, now expected to take place in spring of 2008.
The sudden availability of the grant money ‘kind of moved everything up fast,? said York. ‘As of right now, we feel that it’s going to be a done deal.?