The state of the streets is almost always a hot topic in Marshalltown, and during Monday night’s meeting, the city council approved a resolution moving forward with plans, specifications, form of contract and cost for the 2025 hot mix asphalt crack and joint sealing project at an engineer’s estimate of $355,000.

Public Works Director Heather Thomas explained that the project is currently out to bid, and she provided a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) map showing which streets are in the best and worst conditions around town.

“And so as we look at crack and joint sealing, we’re really looking at a preservation technique to maintain the pavement at the least cost input for as long as possible, so we will be focusing on the streets that are in the fair, good and excellent categories,” she said.

The last two times the city has put crack or joint sealing out for bids, Thomas added, neither resulted in the awarding of a contract. Once was because of the lone bid coming in well over the engineer’s estimate, and the second time, there were no bids.

In hopes of changing that, Thomas said she has proactively reached out to eight contractors to gain a better understanding about their previous concerns and work toward a more favorable outcome.

“I feel like we have pretty good communication right now with contractors. Part of that communication did result in me issuing an addendum earlier today, a very simple one, but as far as asphalt availability in Marshalltown, we don’t have any plants locally. So switching to a material that can be produced in a premix condition vs. hauling small quantities from Des Moines or Ames or sometimes in Newton when Manatt’s has that plant up and going will result in more favorable bids and more interest from contractors,” she said. “So that did get issued earlier today.”

Bids are due Sept. 3 and will be considered at the Sept. 8 meeting.

“This is an ideal time where contractors think they may have enough work to get them through the asphalt season, but some may be a little short,” Thomas said. “So we’ve allowed where they can either complete this work even in part or in full this year or also open it up to next year as well.”

Because the cracks are relatively small, Thomas said most of the work will be done under “live traffic” with minimal interruption, and she then showed a map of which streets would be affected. With no public comments, a motion to approve the plans and specifications received a motion and a second before Councilor Gary Thompson asked Thomas to give the public a better idea of the life of the premix material and how it will work to fill larger cracks.

The last time the city successfully awarded a bid was 2016, she responded, and the city council has not approved the premix material in the past. Thus, Thomas reached out to other city engineers in communities across Iowa to solicit feedback, and most did not have much experience with it.

“While, in theory, the hot mix is better to form and everything, if done with the given temperatures, they would still expect it to perform for that seven-to-eight year lifetime,” she said.

The motion carried by a unanimous 7-0 tally.

In other business, the council:

• Approved the consent agenda as listed.

• Recognized the following employees for years of service: Luis Alcaraz — five years with the library; Maurice Speirs, five years with the police department, Logan Wolf, 10 years with the police department, Brad Mauseth and Kiel Stevenson, 20 years with the police department.

• Approved a five-day Class C retail alcohol license for the 13th Street District during the Harvest Market on Sept. 5.

• Approved 5-day special Class C retail alcohol licenses for Lucky Wife Wine Slushies and Thirsty Pigs LLC during Oktemberfest from Sept. 24-28.

• Approved an amended development agreement with MARSHALLTOWN Company including annual appropriation tax increment payments.

• Approved the vacation of East Street between South 8th Avenue and the railroad tacks.

• Approved the conveyance and transfer of title for parcel 8418-36-402-010.

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Contact Robert Maharry at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.