HOULTON, Maine — An Aroostook County road, plagued by extensive stormwater runoff and drainage problems, is slated for a $894,450 complete reconstruction this summer.
The Houlton Board of Budget Review voted unanimously on March 6 in favor of bond financing for the Reservoir Hill Road project that extends from the base at Hillview Avenue to the top of Reservoir Hill.
“This will be a complete rebuild of the road and all of the base structures including mechanisms to manage storm water,” said Interim Town Manager Cameron Clark on Wednesday. “Reservoir Hill Road, because of its slope and its position in the curvature, has extensive storm water challenges when we get heavy rains.”
According to Clark, the engineering firm, Bangor-based Sewell Engineering, has designed additional features with deeper ditches and culverts to more effectively manage the stormwater.
During Monday’s town council meeting, Clark said the town is in the process of securing a General Resolution Bond from the Maine Municipal Bond Bank for up to $750,000 for the project. The problem is, municipalities can only apply in the spring and fall and the town missed the spring deadline.
As a result, Clark has proposed a $744,450 bond anticipation note that will provide the funds to move forward with the project this summer. When the bond is secured in the fall, the town can repay the note, he said.
“This infrastructure project is critical for the town’s long-term development and economic vitality, and the [budget review] board demonstrated strong support for moving forward with financing in a responsible manner,” said Johanna Johnston, executive director of the Southern Aroostook Development Corp.
For the past several years, the town’s director of public works expressed concerns about the road’s condition, explaining that it needs to be replaced. But the budget could not support such a large financial hit at one time without raising taxes.
During this year’s budget process, the council conservatively earmarked $150,000 toward the project. That’s why securing a bond and spreading the remainder of the cost over several years makes sense, Clark said.
While construction is underway, the Houlton Water Co. is also going to upgrade some of its infrastructure under the road, Clark said.
There will be a public hearing regarding the bond process by early April. It will then go to a referendum special election, following town council approval.
Clark said they hope to have a town participation during the public hearing and special election process.
“This may be a new approach for the town to do roadwork in the future,” Clark said. “It’s not uncommon for municipalities to do roadwork with the funding mechanism of a bond. The state does it that way and other municipalities do it this way. ”
