Citizens keep pushing to pave E 3 N Street

"We've got the most oddball problem you people have probably ever had put before you," Jim Rockhold told the members of the Green River City Council. "Here's a street that's 104 years old. The citizens are just asking for your help."

This "oddball problem" of trying to get East Third North Street paved is one that Rockhold has been bringing to the city for over a decade, but one that continually gets delayed, primarily due to a lack of funding.

Rockhold, and other concerned citizens, brought the issue before the City Council once again during a special workshop before Tuesday night's regular council meeting.

The City's Director of Public Works Mark Westenskow spoke to the council during the workshop to give an overview of the issue, and Rockhold spoke to explain the timeline of his efforts to have the road paved.

Westenskow explained that the East Third North is a narrow segment of road that has primarily been treated like an alleyway. The road was originally platted in 1919, Westenskow said, which is part of why it wasn't paved when it was platted. Some work on the road has been done in the last few years using pavement millings to try to fill in potholes and create a more even surface, according to Westenskow.

As far as getting the road fully paved, Westenskow explained that the project would require extra work, including replacing the water lines underneath the road. In a budget request for Fiscal Year 2024 to do a street construction project on East Third North, it was estimated that the surface improvements would cost approximately $400,000 and the underground work for the road and the adjacent alleys would cost approximately $600,000, making it a roughly $1 million project.

Doing construction to pave East Third North has been one of the many projects that Westenskow has put on project lists for sixth penny tax funds ever since 2012. However, many of the years it was on the list the tax wasn't approved. The street was once again on the project list for the 2022 sixth penny tax. However, even though the tax passed, the list had to be narrowed down to top priorities, and East Third North wasn't on the final list.

"How did the only unpaved street in Green River not make the cut?" Rockhold reported asking council members after learning that the project had been put on the back burner once again.

Despite his frustration over a project he first brought up in 2011 still being delayed, Rockhold has continued working with the city to understand the issue.

"It's not that we're here to point fingers, we're here to maybe get some help," Rockhold said, noting that the only resource the citizens can turn to is the city.

Rockhold has also worked with Westenskow and come to understand some of the factors that influence decisions about which streets are prioritized for repairs.

One of the considerations is a Pavement Conditions Index (PCI) Score, which is used to help determine how money is allocated. The problem with East Third North Street is that it doesn't have a Pavement Conditions Index score because it doesn't have any pavement to begin with.

Rockhold also understands the struggle of not being able to complete projects when there is no money to do them.

"The money doesn't fall out of the sky," he noted.

Westenskow also echoed the ongoing problem of the lack of funding for projects like East Third North.

"There are no grant funds available for local streets," he pointed out.

Westenskow also noted his concerns over relying too much on specific purpose tax money for road repairs.

"We have come to rely on sixth penny for our major rebuilds," he said. "Without a stable, consistent funding source for the streets, we're going to continue to be in this boom and bust cycle of being able to attack a few streets while trying to hold the others together."

For now, East Third North will have to continue to wait, but Mayor Pete Rust thanked Rockhold for bringing the issue to the city's attention once again and providing more information.

"We'll discuss this further for sure," Mayor Rust told Rockhold.