The Citizens Bond Advisory Committee may have crowned the crumbling pavement on Schmitz Avenue the worst street in Denton, but it was Scripture Street that got the votes of Denton drivers.
In a briefing of the Denton City Council on Tuesday afternoon, committee co-chairman Tim Crouch told the council that public input put the reconstruction of Scripture, from Ector to Malone streets, on the to-do list.
The bond committee met several times to go through the city’s list of 990 street segments recommended for reconstruction, Crouch said. They settled on a list of about 200 segments throughout the city.
The council appointed the committee to make recommendations before holding a street bond election in November.
Public input also pointed to Hinkle Drive, between University Drive and Windsor Drive, as needing repairs, Crouch said. However, because Hinkle needs costly drainage repairs first — the road was damaged in the April 2007 flash floods — it was not recommended for the bond package.
To repair all 990 segments would cost the city about $96 million, but the bond package is planned for $4 million increments over five years — in part to be able to avoid raising the city tax rate to pay the debt service.
Crouch and co-chairman Marty Rivers told the council that repair of Oak and Hickory streets, between Carroll Boulevard and the University of North Texas, also didn’t make the list because of drainage and utility work that needs to come first.
In addition, the Public Art Committee recommended that the accompanying public art project be dedicated to the Interstate 35 corridor, according to Margaret Chalfant, executive director of the Greater Denton Arts Council.
A city policy requires that a percentage of bond packages go to public art.
Chalfant told the council that the committee voted to recommend a $400,000 budget, and recommended artistic insets on the panels that the Texas Department of Transportation will insert into retaining walls when the highway is widened.
She showed the City Council three preliminary designs that would be cast into the concrete panels, including one of the Courthouse on the Square dome, one of the city flag, and one of an eagle’s head.
The Public Art Committee would choose the final design, she said.
Council member Kevin Roden reminded the council that the city had already received a presentation from TxDOT about the retaining walls and the panel insets. He asked that the council be briefed again on what money, if any, had already been identified for that project.
The council is expected to discuss the matter again at its regular meeting July 17 and hold a public hearing Aug. 7. The final vote to call for the $20.4 million street bond election is expected Aug. 14.
PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-566-6881. Her e-mail address is pheinkel-wolfe@dentonrc.com .
IN OTHER ACTION
During the Denton City Council’s regular meeting, the council also:
• Nominated Harlan Jefferson, Flower Mound city manager, for another term on Denco Area 911 District.
• Approved a five-year $125,000 contract to purchase Neptune Water Meters from HD Supply Waterworks.
• Approved the annual purchase of Bioxide products from Siemens Industry Inc. for $95,000.
• Approved an offer of $297,140 for 3 acres of right of way from Martino Realty.
• Accepted a $42,755 offer from Texas Department of Transportation for right of way in front of South Branch Library.
• Approved temporary access to city-owned lands to Atmos as it upgrades a natural gas storage facility on East McKinney Street for $21,805.
• Reappointed Pete Kamp, James King and Hank Dickenson to nominating committee to recommend appointees for the city’s Economic Development Partnership Board.
• Approved routing a sewer line under Nette Shultz and Avondale parks.
