City Makes Engineering Preparations for $1.25 Million North LeRoy Street Project

North LeRoy Street will be the major project in 2012.

Fenton has $1.25 million in funding for it, which includes $750,000 through the state and $500,000 from the city's fiscal year 2011 and 2012 capital improvement program.

It will repair North LeRoy Street, from North Road to the city limits, said Department of Public Works Director Daniel Czarnecki. Fenton plans to work with the Genesee County Road Commission, which is preparing to repair Fenton Road — which turns into LeRoy Street as one goes south — from the Fenton City limits northward.

Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is bidding out the North LeRoy Street project, due to the state funding involved, Czarnecki said. Bidding could take place during the upcoming winter, with the road construction beginning in spring 2012. Before that can happen, though, Fenton needs engineering work performed.

City council approved a contract, not to exceed $147,860, for Orchard, Hiltz & McCliment (OHM) to perform the engineering for the North LeRoy Street project. The $147,860 sum is 12 percent of the proposed construction costs, he said. OHM is Fenton's city engineering firm.

Issues with the North LeRoy Street project include drainage and driveways, Czarnecki said. In addition, there is a "dip" in front of , Mayor Sue Osborn said.

It also includes the area in front of a dentist's office, where the road has gone down, Czarnecki said. An issue is finding out how to prop up the roadway so it's safer.

Osborn said there is a story that a section of North LeRoy Street was fixed with pieces of wood a long time ago. There was a lawsuit about some of the property when Fenton received a grant for previous work on North LeRoy Street. City officials had to use the money within a certain time frame and didn't have time to address it, she said. This time, they want to fix the street so the pavement doesn't slope to the side.

Part of OHM's plan is to have Geotech investigate the sinking area, and the entire street, so officials know to the best of their abilities what is there, Czarnecki said.

It's a gateway to the community, and Fenton wants to make sure the project is done right, he said. Administrators have been discussing possible landscaping and other improvements, and whether they can obtain other funding. They want to do as much as they can, do the work once and have it last a long time.

In addition, the city will seek input from stores and other businesses along North LeRoy Street. A meeting is being planned, and administrators want to keep everyone informed about the decision-making, Czarnecki said.

Councilman Benjamin Smith asked about the condition of underground utilities along North LeRoy Street.

Czarnecki said he wants to investigate this more, since there have been some watermain repairs. He plans to have the sanitary sewer pipes videotaped, and review watermain records.

Councilman Bradley Jacob said he'd like to make sure underground utilities are fixed, so workers don't have to dig up and patch the new street a couple of years later. This occurred with North Road after the city had it paved, Smith said.

Smith asked whether Fenton is prepared to make additional repairs as needed. City Manager Lynn Markland said the city will have to look at it, depending on what investigation shows.