While there is a lot to criticize about municipal government these days, the City of Indianola should be given props for its street paving project.
This was a good use of about $1.3 million of use tax money.
Use tax is internet sales tax that the state sends back to counties and municipalities specifically for infrastructure projects.
The city agreed last spring to bid this project that includes asphalt overlays on Main Street and Second Street, as well as concrete repair on Sunflower Avenue, Wiggins Road and Oak Street.
Construction has caused a bit of congestion, but the inconveniences will be worth it when the project is complete.
You may have noticed this week that Main Street on the Front Avenue side was blocked by road crews.
This is a late but welcomed addition to this street project.
Originally, the paving of Main Street was supposed to stop at Court Street, just past the courthouse. That is where it was believed that the city’s underground lead joint pipes began.
That would have left the next block unpaved, because crews would have had to dig up and replace a lot of piping before laying the asphalt.
As it turned out, when the contractor made it to the fire station with the overlay last month, they encountered a leak and subsequently some lead joint pipes that the city did not anticipate being underground in that particular spot.
County Engineer Ron Cassada appeared before the board of aldermen and offered a great solution. He said that with a change order totaling around $172,000, the contractor could repair all of the pipes from the fire station to Front Avenue, following that with a smooth overlay.
The board voted unanimously to approve that.
Once the work is complete, four major thoroughfares in the city will be rehabilitated and repaved.
That is great news for the city.
Taxpayers deserve better streets for driving, and this improves our image greatly when it comes to tourism and industry recruitment.
Within the next year, the city will have another large project that will involve infrastructure repair and overlays.
Unfortunately, not every street is going to get a facelift, but this is a good start.
This is the highest and best use of the use tax system.
If the city indeed continues to run its pothole repair machine six days a week, streets should be noticeably smoother in the months to come.
Next time you see our city officials in the grocery store or walking on the street, and you feel the urge to be critical, be sure to thank them first for putting this project into motion.
