A shortage of asphalt is causing a major pothole in the city's plans to repair crumbling streets.
Asphalt is a necessary component in most road repair projects, but due to a material shortage, road crews cannot complete the necessary repairs.
This has caused major delays in road repair projects, resulting in more potholes in the city's streets.
“We’ve gotten holes in streets that have never had holes,” Ward 1 Alderman Gary Fratesi said.
Fratesi requested an update on the repair projects during the Indianola Board of Aldermen meeting Monday night.
Public Works Director Elvis Pernell explained that it's almost impossible to get asphalt now, adding that the cost of asphalt has skyrocketed. He said, "We used to get two (loads) for about $5,000. Now we can only get one at a time."
The city needs three or four loads of asphalt to start running the asphalt machine six days a week to tackle road repairs, but the equipment is unavailable. Another hold-up on street repairs is determining if the state will match the city’s ARPA funds, Mayor Ken Featherstone said. A dollar-for-dollar match would be provided by the state if the city holds its ARPA funds, bringing the total funds for the street projects up to 4.4 million dollars. The delays in street repairs are causing frustration among residents, with complaints flooding in to city officials.
“People are complaining,” Fratesi said. “ That’s why I brought it up.”
Featherstone has acknowledged receiving similar calls and complaints as Fratesi, and county Board of Supervisors President Riley Rice has stated that the county is facing the same shortage of asphalt. Finding a solution to the asphalt shortage is becoming increasingly urgent, as the city seeks to keep up with the growing demand for repairs. The city officials are hopeful about receiving the match money from the state to increase their budget for their street projects.
