SAN BENITO — For decades, residents have cursed San Benito’s pockmarked streets as one of the biggest problems facing the city, blaming the big potholes for gouging their cars’ wheels and hammering suspensions.
While many of the city’s past administrations have poured millions into patching and paving city blocks, too many years of neglect have made catching up harder and harder with every season of rain, traffic and decay.
Now, the city’s low tax base makes it a bigger challenge than ever to pave the broken streets crisscrossing nearly every block in town.
After months of discussion, officials are set to launch the city’s new $1 million paving program.
To fund the project, City Manager Manuel De La Rosa is pulling $550,000 from the city’s $4 million reserve, bolstering the annual $450,000 street repair account to come up with the $1 million price tag.
“People say, ‘I want my street (fixed),’” Mayor Rick Guerra said Monday. “Let’s show the people we’re trying to do something.”
Last November, voters elected Guerra, whose platform included funding street repairs.
“I’m serious about doing something,” he said. “They voted for me and I haven’t gotten anything done. We’ve been in there for months already and they want to see streets.”
A winter closing with near-record freezes had put the brakes of the project.
“That’s why we couldn’t do anything till March,” Guerra said. “The cold weather doesn’t help. Any rain, any cold affects everything.”
Commissioners to select streets
During Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners are set to pick the streets for the job.
Among the criteria they’ll use to tap streets are road conditions in the town where so many need repair.
“Show me what’s in dire need,” Guerra said. “I need to know what’s in dire need.”
Meanwhile, there’s also the question of whether to turn the job over to the city’s street crew or hire a general contractor.
But city crews might not have the equipment to do the job.
“I need input from the commissioners,” Guerra said. “I need input from the people.”
Off Sam Houston Boulevard, Wentz Street, a heavily traveled road as long as 1.5 miles, would eat a big chunk of the city’s paving budget, he said.
“It’s in dire need,” Guerra said. “You’ve got La Gallina Head Start.”
Across town, many streets fit the commission’s criteria.
“It’s already eroded and some parts already have caliche on it,” Guerra said.
Commercial or feeder streets?
As they work to select streets for the project, commissioners will pick between the bigger thoroughfares and neighborhood streets.
“You have different streets — commercial streets and feeder streets,” Guerra said.
While commercial streets require as many as three inches of material to repair, feeder streets take about two inches, he said.
“The commercial streets are going to cost a lot more money,” he said.
City equipment raises questions
Meanwhile, commissioners might be called to consider whether to turn the project over to the city’s street crew or a general contractor — a choice which would eat into the city’s street repair budget.
“We can do 20 streets in-house compared to 10,” Guerra said.
A decision to turn the job over to city crews could mean setting aside money for equipment.
“I’d like do it in-house but we don’t have the equipment,” Guerra said.
Now, he said, the city needs a roller truck and a dump truck.
“Let’s look into the equipment,” Guerra said. “Do we need to invest or rent equipment? We have a small paver in dire need of repair. We’re trying to see if we can repair some equipment.”
