March 29, 2024

Repairs planned for North Fourth Avenue West

Robert L. Knabel
Newton City Administrator

I read with interest Mr. Bergfeld’s recent letter to the editor concerning North Fourth Avenue West not being on this summer’s street improvement program. Because of the substantial cost to repair this road, estimated at $850,000, the project has been scheduled for 2016 using federal funds.

North Fourth Avenue, from West Eighth Street to Highway 14, is on the City’s Federal Aid Route, meaning that this road is eligible for 80 percent funding from the federal gas tax. The city is allocated about $350,000 per year that can be accumulated and set for these federally eligible projects.

The city accumulates the federal allocation for several years to complete larger projects, such as East 31st Street North. This project, which will be completed shortly, will cost approximately $1,600,000. This will require about $1,280,000 of federal money, or about four years of our federal allocations. This then requires the City to plan these projects well in advance.

As such, North Fourth Avenue has been in our plans for the past few years as well and will be constructed in 2016 when sufficient allocated federal funds are available to pay for 80 percent of the project cost.

The city must use other funds to pay for the remaining 20 percent and until last year these funds have been limited. With funding from the 2014 and 2015 bond issues, and with the changes in the state gas tax this year, the city will have more flexibility on the scheduling of future projects.

The Asphalt Overlay Project awarded recently is for city streets that are not on Federal Aid Routes and will require 100 percent city funds using the 2015 bond proceeds and State gas tax funds.

The city knows the needs are there for North Fourth Avenue West and would like to have completed it sooner, but using the federal money is prudent on these larger projects. Thank you for giving me the opportunities to explain this funding process.