By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

PELHAM—The Pelham City Council approved an about $1.57 million bid to repave 23 of the city’s roads during an April 7 City Council meeting.

Pelham paired with Shelby County as part of a wider resurfacing project, which lowered the total cost of the project by roughly 15 percent, said City Council President Rick Hayes. This allowed the city to increase the number of repaved roads from 20 to 23.

The city budget allotted $1.5 million for the project and the remaining cost was funded by a developer-issued bond, Hayes said.

“This is a very large capital expenditure, but we all felt it was critical,” said Hayes.

According to Councilman Ron Scott, other than minor pothole patching, Pelham has not repaved any city roads in “at least five years.”

Hayes said the repaving is a “major step,” but something the city plans to do regularly going forward in an effort to improve the city’s infrastructure.

“We are putting money aside to do this on a regular basis,” Hayes said.

The 23 streets targeted for repaving were all recommended to the City Council by the Public Works Department as those in the most need.

The roads that will be repaved are Royal Circle, Royal Way, Martha Circle, Royal Court, Chandamont Circle, Yeager Parkway, Commerce Drive, Commerce Circle, Weatherly Way, Pemberton Place, Kings Crest Lane, McCain Parkway,
Pardue Road, Monroe Drive, Industrial Park Drive, Parker Drive, Thames Court, Stuart Lane, Stonehaven Trail, Weatherly Club Drive, Bent Creek Drive, Bent Creek Way and Bent Creek Trace.

No definitive start date has been set for the project, however Hayes said he expects it to begin “as soon as possible” in the coming summer months.