Friday, October 14, 2011

BRAVO PARK LANE NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE CHIPSEALED; HURF FUNDS FROM LAND SALE IN WARD 5 HELPED EFFORT

TUCSON - The City of Tucson Department of Transportation (TDOT) has begun a residential street paving program in five different neighborhoods that consists of crack sealing, filling potholes and chip sealing.

This work began Monday and is scheduled to last through the end of November 2011, weather permitting. Work hours are Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
One of the first chip seal projects will be for the Bravo Park Lane Neighborhoods:  Fair Street, Irvington Road, Campbell Avenue and Park Avenue.

Bravo Park Lane is one of the most active neighborhoods, thanks to the commitment and support of their neighborhood association,” said Ward 5 Councilmember, Richard Fimbres.  “It is a vibrant neighborhood, with a wonderful educational institution situated in it, Van Buskirk Elementary.”

A significant portion of the funding for this effort, as well as the other four neighborhood areas, was achieved through the actions of Councilmember Richard Fimbres, who got funding from a land sale in his Ward, to be directed towards repair roads across the City.

In June of this year, the Mayor and Council had approved a sale of two city-owned parcels, in the Southwest corner of Kino and 22nd Street, located in Ward 5.  
Originally, the City had purchased these parcels in 2008, using HURF (Highway User Revenue Funds).  HURF funds are used for roadwork and maintenance.  This purchase was for a road project for which the project’s scope was changed.  

The purchase of these parcels by a private development company, totaled $585,000 in HURF Funds, which Councilmember Fimbres directed towards using for road repair across the City of Tucson. 

“Constitutents in my Ward, as well as across the City spoke loudly about the need for our roads to be repaired,” said Councilmember Richard Fimbres.  “This transaction and approval by my colleagues on the Council will work towards repairing roads in Tucson.”

In addition, funding from the surplus left over from the Mayor and Council’s budgets, totaling $240,000, was also put towards this effort, per Mayor and Council vote.

These five neighborhoods across the City of Tucson, will be completed by the end of the fiscal year, June 30, 2012.