Two Ditch Projects Could be Back on the Table

The 2012 ditch program might not after all—at least not completely.

A memo accompanying the agenda for Monday’s said the group would discuss whether the city should repair ditches along two stretches of road this summer.

The memo said Ward 3 Alderman John Poteraske contacted city staff after the City Council voted down the 2012 ditch program at . He suggested that the city could pursue repairs on the two ditches that run along Poplar Lane and Bentley Avenue, which are roads set for repaving this year.

Typically roads are repaved after the city repairs the corresponding ditches, so based on last Monday’s vote, Poplar and Bentley would have to be taken out of the 2012 road repaving program. Poplar and Bentley are the only two roads that were scheduled both for ditch work and repaving this year. Fiala Paving said it would honor the price it originally quoted the city for repaving regardless of whether the two roads remain part of the program, according to the memo.

It would cost the city $223,800 to repair just the ditches along Poplar and Bentley, a savings of $535,000 over the original slate of five ditch projects.

The Administrative/Finance Committee will make a recommendation to the City Council for discussion at the next meeting, which is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. April 16 in .