Input sought in Hardwick street improvement plan

Before the city of Hardwick invests a possible $100,000 in street improvements, council members want to know what residents think of the planned project.
A public input meeting is scheduled Thursday, July 14, during the council’s regular monthly meeting. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the Hardwick City Hall.
Cost estimates and a timeline were discussed at the city’s June 9 council meeting. “If we don’t do anything in a year or two, we might as well take the top off and go back to gravel roads,” said Mayor Jan Baustian.
Costs to remove, rebuild and/or replace 2,420 square yards of street surface with a 2- to 3-inch bituminous layer ranged from $61,200 to $80,900.
DGR Engineering out of Rock Rapids, Iowa, also estimated an additional $8,000 to repair problem frost boil areas.
In May city officials contacted DGR, who was a consultant for the city on previous street projects. DGR indicated the city’s last major road project (sealcoating) was completed in 2007.
Project Engineer Gary Kurth noted in his letter to the city that in the last decade street maintenance has been limited.
He noted the majority of Hardwick’s streets are in poor condition.
“The pavement is alligator cracked and/or the pavement is missing,” Kurth wrote.
He encouraged city leaders to put a long-term street improvement plan in place.
“The city of Hardwick should continue to patch areas that are showing distress and start planning for a project that could be performed with the future county project,” Kurth added.
In 2020 the Rock County Highway Department plans to replace the bituminous surface on Summit, Main and Ross streets in Hardwick, according to its five-year road and bridge construction plan.
Those are county state aid roads under the county’s jurisdiction.
Hardwick officials look to increase property taxes in preparation for the 2020 project.
Levy amounts, a timeline and the choice of improvement options will be detailed at the July 14 meeting.