Politics & Government

Residents Question Royal Oak's Paving Priorities

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Isn't it ironic?

After reading "The Road to Fixing Royal Oak’s Deteriorating Streets Has Reached a Dead End," a few readers wanted to know how it is that Alexander and Farnum—two streets adjacent to blocks of new houses—have "nice new streets."

"Isn't it ironic that Farnum and Alexander received nice new paved roads before the development started at the old Whittier site?" wrote Niteman.

Find out what's happening in Royal Oakwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

To address  questions concerning the paving of Farnum and Alexander, Patch called City Engineer Matt Callahan.

Callahan said Farnum  was repaved in 2006 after a new sewer and 12-inch water main were installed. 

That's eight years before the process to develop the Whittier school property began, Callahan said. 

The new construction, which cost the city approximately $900,000, was paid for with water and sewer capital improvement bonds.

The impetus to pave Alexander is a bit more complicated.

"As a condition of the sale of the school district's property to a developer, the city required that a few things be improved that had long been neglected. One of those conditions was paving Alexander, a street that had never been paved," Callahan said.

As a result,  8-inch thick concrete pavement was installed on North Alexander Avenue from East Farnum Avenue to Baldwin Avenue.

The cost of the work was approximately $89,000 and is being paid by a special assessment. Property owners who benefit from the improvements have 15 years to repay their portion of the special assessment.  


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