The City Council has unanimously approved a $200,000 expenditure that will allow the Department of Public Works to outsource and retain contractors to supplement repair efforts. The cavalry is expected next month, and in the interim, crews will start work at some of the city’s worst locations.
According to New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson, this is just the beginning of efforts to improve city roadways. At next week’s council meeting, the board is expected to authorize the issuance of a bond for road resurfacing.
The amount of the bond has yet to be determined, but it is expected to double the annual paving budget.
“Usually, the city’s road work is covered entirely by a state grant, but the amount of that grant is simply insufficient to maintain a road network as extensive of New Rochelle’s, which means we fall behind just a little bit each year,” he said. “This supplementary funding will enable us to play catch up and provide a longer-term fix for several major roads.”
Bramson noted that city officials are careful with the budget and funds each year, but due to the extent and intensity of the potholes plaguing motorists, necessary decisions and steps had to be made.
“New Rochelle’s city government is very frugal,” he said. “We watch every penny and are careful about issuing debt, but this strikes me as a necessary and appropriate expenditure that will stabilize vital physical assets, not to mention improve our safety and quality of life.”
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