Exterior of Shelton City Hall, in Shelton, Conn. Jan. 11, 2021.
Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut MediaSHELTON — Pandemic relief funds have proved quite a boon for the city’s roadways.
The Board of Aldermen, at its meeting last week, voted to allocate $1.5 million toward citywide road repairs. This brings the total amount being spent on road work to $3.5 million – all of which is covered through American Rescue Plan money.
To date, the city’s Finance Department states that Shelton has received just over $8.1 million in ARPA funds, with more than $5 million allocated for various city projects.
Mayor Mark Lauretti said over the years, the city has “patched and repaired” roads and “used other tactics to buy time."
But now is the time to get the roads properly repaired, he said.
“The money is there,” Lauretti said about the pandemic relief funds, “so we’re getting this done.”
Road work has been a focus, as Board of Aldermen Street Committee Chair Eric McPherson said more than 40 miles of roads have been repaired to date, with more expected after the latest allocation.
Dozens of roads have been worked on, whether it be milling and paving (some 8 miles); crack sealing (10 miles); chip and fog sealing (nearly 17 miles); or in-house leveling and skid paving (5 miles).
Milling and paving will be done on Kneen Street, from Coram to Myrtle, next week, while work on various locations on Huntington Street remain ongoing.
Crack sealing will be done on Old Stratford Road, Coram Avenue and Coram Road on Oct. 25 and 26.
The aldermen also used $442,000 in American Rescue Plan money to purchase two all-season dump trucks with plows to be used by the Highways and Bridges Department.
brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com