Centroplex News

The Killeen City Council voted unanimously to approve a two-year street improvement contract with Andale Construction to prolong the life of existing road surfaces.

Though the Council conducted its meeting in chambers, members maintained social distancing protocols related to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, according to the Killeen Daily Herald. However, three council members – Shirley Fleming, Jim Kilpatrick and Debbie Nash-King – participated by video live stream.

The contract involves a high-density mineral bond surface treatment that is to be applied to the city’s roadways. 

“It’s a cost-effective and biodegradable option,” Public Works director Danielle Singh told the Council. “We’ve researched this quite a bit ... and this (material) has a history of working.”

While the projected cost to coat 30 lane-miles of roadway with the treatment is $645,000, there is an upper limit for spending of $1 million. Singh said the upper limit is intended to permit flexibility in handling costs related to the COVID-19 crisis.

The funding for the treatment will come from the street fee that is added to local residents’ utility bills, Killeen spokeswoman Hilary Shine said. Between Oct. 1, 2019 and March 31, 2020, the city collected $887,501 in revenue for that fund. Estimates through Sept. 30 project $1.6 million in revenue for the fiscal year.

“Street maintenance fee revenue is specifically used for surface treatments that extend the life of the roadway,” Shine said in an email, according to the Daily Herald. “The general fund provides approximately $5 million for other types of street maintenance (striping, signage, sidewalks, etc.) as well as personnel and equipment.”

The contract with Andale Construction was arrived at after review by the city of various options for preserving the road surfaces. Previously the city had used a sealant method involving asphalt, water, aggregate and mineral filler.