HARLINGEN — For at least three years, the city has been investing on roads along its fast growing western edge.
This year, city officials selected more roads in that area bustling with new home construction.
As part of the city’s annual street improvements project, officials will pull $929,584 from the $41 million general fund budget to pave parts of five west-side roads.
City commissioners have awarded a contract to Edinburg-based GLZ Construction, the lowbidder, to do the job.
The project was funded through the general fund, not the so-called street maintenance fee, City Engineer Javier Zamora said yesterday.
Earlier this year, commissioners approved an ordinance charging utility customers the monthly fee aimed at funding street projects.
But the fee, expected to raise about $1.4 million a year, did not become effective until June.
Poor road conditions and the west side’s growth led officials to select the roads for the project, Zamora said.
This year the city will continue the project focusing on streets in the city’s west side.
“That’s where we have the most need,” Zamora said. “It’s growing and there are still caliche roads out there. We’re trying to address what we can with what we’ve got.”
The project calls for the paving of 2.19 miles of roadways, Zamora said.
He said the crews will build sidewalks and curb ramps along the roads.
As part of the project, the city will pave Queen Sago from Stuart Place to Beckham Road; Bothwell Road from Dixieland Road to Tucker Road; Dixieland from Lincoln Avenue to Garrett Road; Garrett from Dixieland to Tucker; Drury Lane from 400 feet east of Tamm Lane to Altas Palmas Road; and Gomez Road from Tucker to its end.
Assistant City Manager Gabriel Gonzalez said a construction timeline has not been set.
Last year, a $1 million program paved sections of Dixieland Road, Bothwell Road, Drury Lane and Garrett Road.
In 2015, the city spent $1.5 million to pave parts of roads including Crockett Road, Washington Palm Drive, Palmetto Drive, Altas Palmas and Queen Sago.
The year before, a $1.1 million project added Halpin Road to a list that included Crockett, Washington Palm Drive, Palmetto and Bothwell Road.
