Rain filled the potholes on Gibson Hill Road on Tuesday, April 19.
With any kind of luck, North Albany commuters should find the going much smoother on Gibson Hill Road by the end of summer 2022.
Even though it has been inside the city limits since the annexation by Albany in June 1991, Gibson Hill remains a Benton County road. The city of Albany has agreed to assume jurisdiction, but first the county has to improve the road.
The county had planned to get the road project done a year or two ago but lacked sufficient funds. Now, though, the project is definitely on for this year.
Benton County Public Works has called for bids to rebuild Gibson Hill, which extends for about 1.2 miles from Scenic Drive to the roundabout on North Albany Road. Bids are due April 26.
The county calls it the “Gibson Hill sidewalk infill and pavement restoration project.” The engineering estimate puts the likely cost at between $950,000 and $1.2 million.
The project includes several sections of sidewalk on the north side of the road, along with associated ramps to comply with the disabilities law.
County Engineer Laurel Byer says the construction is to be done during the summer and completed by the time school resumes at summer’s end.
Details won’ be known until a contract is let, but she expects there will be no need to completely close Gibson Hill during construction. Instead, she thinks it will be possible to keep one lane open with traffic controlled by flaggers.
No doubt there will be traffic delays. But when you sit there waiting for the flagger, think of how nice it will be not to be dodging potholes later on. (hh)
The street has been torn up for “infrastructure” improvements due to the housing construction. NOW they plan to repave it? It’s just going to get torn up again due to all of the continued housing construction projects.
If you think Gibson Hill rd is bad with potholes, you should take a look at Spring Hill Drive between Scenic and Buena Vista road. It’s potholes the whole way.
The housing construction has nothing to do with Benton Co. bringing street up to standards…
No. Just one of the big reasons for the need.
So, you pose a problem.
What do you propose?
Same I’ve always had….. STOP the building/expansion.
Well, that is a proposal.
Regressive proposals traction though.
Stopping someone from selling property to someone willing to develop is not likely to happen.
Don’t hold your breath. When the “repaving” was to be done a few years ago Benton County changed their mind and re-paved portions of Spring Hill Road because it was so bad.
I think “repaving” is a bit misleading. If I understand correctly it is more of a “reconstruction” to City Standards which are more stringent that County Standards.
It will be nice to have the work done. Just hope that no one decides to do something that requires digging holes in the new paving to make utility connections.
Flash! Benton County is fixing Springhill from Scenic to Buena Vista Road – not just throwing in a few rocks here and there. The County started on last Monday. Yay! Wish they would continue up Buena Vista Road to the Polk County line. Not in the works.