Upgrading streets around Pine Haven's Vista Grande subdivision

Several roadways on both sides of Pine Haven's Vista Grande Drive have been chip sealed this spring with the remaining streets completed in the next budget year, perhaps in the fall, according to Mayor Karla Brandenburg.

The reasons for the break in the work is twofold; HDR Engineering's Heath Turbiville spoke to the wetness of the ground at this time, after the substantial rain the area has been otherwise enjoying, "Some places [on Aspen Street] has started to dry up, but when [you] drive over it, [you] can feel the difference... So we feel that it would be better to wait."

"We're at our dollar limit..." Brandenburg added the current budget restrictions as the second reason to stop at this point in the project and bringing this company back in the fall.

She commended the work done by Simon Contractors, though, saying, "They've done an amazing job. They have improved the roads; they've widened them and made them level...As wet as it was, the only road they couldn't bring up was that one side of Aspen. It would really be nice to have them do the next part."

The town starts their new fiscal year July 1 and plans to continue the undertaking with Simon Construction if the price is right, which may allow the job to be completed this year; otherwise, the work may not start again until 2024, according to the mayor.

This project includes all of the streets within the Vista Grande Subdivision and Meadows Drive.

The contractor has been instructed to upgrade the roadways on which they worked this summer, ensuring a top-quality job that will not have to be fixed again any time soon.

"It's getting done the right way so we are hitting the max on the dollar amount and maybe even a little more, but the roads are going to be right," said Brandenburg.