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The 2025 road program includes $800,000 to repave seven streets in the southwestern part of the city: Milligan Street, from Arch Street to Chapman Avenue; Clymer Street, from South Street to between 32 and 34 Clymer St.; Clymer, from Thornton Avenue to Garrow Street; Chedell Place, from Easterly Avenue to the end; Hardenbergh Avenue, from Genesee Street to Baker Street; Wood Street, from Genesee Street to Arch Street; and Columbus Street, from Arterial East south to the railroad tracks. 

Beginning in 2020, the city shifted to a quadrant-based system for paving projects. George Wethey, a city engineer, explained this allows the contractors to focus on one area of the city instead of needing to spread out their equipment. 

"This has been done for five years and we've seen more advantages than disadvantages with this approach," Wethey said. 

For the paving program, the city's Department of Engineering Services rates the condition of the streets. While 90% are either good or fair, 6% failed and 4% are in poor shape. 

After a stretch of mild winters, streets have been affected by the harsh conditions this winter. Wethey said that's due to having several freeze-thaw cycles, which causes damage to city streets. 

Wethey estimated that three main thoroughfares — the Arterial, Lake Avenue and North Street — make up most of the failed streets. The good news, he said, is there is a project scheduled to begin in 2026 to improve the Arterial. 

"Alternate bid streets," which is a secondary list of projects, could be repaved this year. Among the possible projects is North Street from the city line to the railroad tracks near York Street. 

Other streets on the alternate list: Mattie Place, from Mattie Street to the end; Garrow Street Extension, from Clymer Street to Valley Drive; Jefferson Street, from Orchard Street to Clark Street; and Van Anden Street, from Cross Street to Washington Street.

Chestnut Street from East Genesee Street to Walnut Street is also a possible project. Chestnut was on the list of alternate projects last year, but was not completed.

The city also plans to spend $530,448 to complete alternate projects from 2024, $432,873 to upgrade highway equipment and $200,000 on its microsurfacing program, which addresses cracks and preserves the pavement. 

The program will provide $145,000 for the Burgess Street culvert project. The city was awarded $1.3 million in federal funding to repair the culvert, which was damaged by the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred in 2021. 

With Auburn expected to get nearly $3.5 million from the state through various programs and $841,484 remaining from prior years, the city will have more than $4.3 million available for its road program. It plans to roll over $2 million into next year.

Auburn Mayor Jimmy Giannettino questioned why the city would hold onto that amount. According to Wethey, a portion of those funds will be used to fund the Lake Avenue bridge project that begins in 2026.

The $8.4 million project will rehabilitate the bridge, which was built in 1954. The city received $4.6 million from the state, but it has been unable to secure additional federal and state funding. 

The engineering department plans to provide an updated presentation on the road program after the state budget is finalized. If there is an increase in state funding, it could support more projects this year.