City grant to repave Elm St.

Drivers should get some relief from potholes on the west side of town thanks to a state grant that will pay for the repaving of the worst stretches of road in Olney.

The City applied for the $350,000 grant four years ago, planning to use the funds to dig up and replace water and sewer lines under Elm Street between Western Avenue and Avenue O.

After the grant was awarded to Olney, the City submitted plans to pave to Avenue O, Mayor Rue Rogers said.

The City has to match 10 percent of the grant amount, plus an additional $32,625 bringing the City’s portion to $79,345 -- to extend the repaving all the way to Avenue O, Mayor Rue Rogers said.

“Essentially we are going to get a new sewer line and repave that street from Main Street down Western and all the way to Avenue O. We are covering a huge strip of street new [water] line for less than $80,000,” he said.

He said the City could pull the additional funds from federal ARPA funds or the City’s water surcharge funds in response to a question from Councilmember Thea Sullivan.

The Council approved a recommendation from architect- engineering firm Corlett Probst & Boyd to hire Freeman Paving of Vernon, Texas to do the work.

The company submitted a base bid of $241,184, and an additional bid of $118,161 to extend the work to Avenue O, he said.