Crews continue road construction on Main Street in downtown Waterville on Wednesday as part of the ongoing downtown revitalization project. Streets elsewhere in the city also will get a facelift after the City Council on Tuesday voted to award more than $2 million in paving contracts. The vote means 18 streets in the South End will be paved starting in late summer. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel

WATERVILLE — The City Council has authorized City Manager Steve Daly to award more than $2 million in paving contracts for 18 streets in the South End.

Councilors voted Tuesday night to approve three paving contracts, one to allow the city to do maintenance and upkeep on seven streets in the South End that need repair. The contract allows for rehabilitation of two city basketball courts on Chaplin and Grove streets.

Matt Skehan, the city’s public works director, said city officials are excited about the paving projects.

“From this point, we’ll send out notices to proceed to the two contractors who will be performing the work,” Skehan said Wednesday in an email. “We will request a timeline and start date. We’ll know for sure in the next two to three weeks but expect construction to begin late summer.”

A man crosses Main Street at the Appleton Street intersection as crews continue road construction on Main Street in Waterville on Wednesday as part of the downtown revitalization project. Streets elsewhere in the city also will get a facelift after the City Council on Tuesday voted to award more than $2 million in paving contracts. The vote means 18 streets in the South End will be paved starting in late summer. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel

Streets to receive shim and overlay include Autumn Court, Green Street, Healey Court, Oxford Street and Redington Street.

Vaughn D. Thibodeau II, a general contractor from Bangor, was awarded the $844,583 contract for the project. Northeast Paving of Bangor had bid $1.82 million.

Thibodeau also was awarded a $431,613 contract to maintain and do upkeep on eight South End Streets. Shim and overlay will be done on Gold Street, Gray Avenue, King Street and a couple of other streets. Northeast had bid $942,789 for the project.

The third contract for $874,862 was awarded to Ranger Construction of Fairfield, for rebuilding five South End streets. Full construction will be done on Carey Court, Lockwood Alley, Swan Street, Veterans Court and King Street.

Each year the city sets aside $200,000 to $250,000 for road projects. About $200,000 a year is generated by a gas pipeline tax increment financing program. That TIF requires the money be set aside for paving.


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