The result of last Tuesday’s election had a near immediate effect at Town Hall.

By mid-day Wednesday Development Services Director Paul Mood was receiving a steady stream of messages from engineering firms asking about the plan to reconstruct Saguaro Boulevard.

The mobilization of construction will not be nearly so immediate, however, with late summer 2014 the earliest work will begin.

Voters are apparently ready to see improvements to Saguaro Boulevard, the street that carries most traffic from the Beeline Highway end of town into the downtown area and beyond.

On Nov. 5, voters approved by a substantial two-to-one margin an $8.2 million bond to remove and replace the pavement on Saguaro.

The vote tallies presented as the final count had 4551 votes in favor (67 percent) to 2226 opposed (33 percent).

Mayor Linda Kavanagh said she is pleased with the results.

“I am grateful to the voters for passing the road bond,” she said. “It will rebuild one of our two main roads, which has become an unsafe eyesore.

“Like most voters, I opposed the previous bond that was wisely and soundly defeated because it was low on voter information but high on spending.

“Passage of this scaled back bond demonstrates that when voters are offered a fiscally responsible measure whose details are transparent, they will do what is right for their town.”

Vice Mayor Cassie Hansen has advocated improvements in a responsible manner and is also enthusiastic about the voter approval.

“I do think the comprehensive, visible pavement improvement plan proposed and swiftly implemented by (Town Manager Ken Buchanan) was a shot in the arm to get things going in a positive direction,” Hansen said.

“Residents could see the town taking steps, reprioritizing to invest in and improve our well-traveled streets -- Palisades and Fountain Hills boulevards are looking great, an incentive to keep the improvements going.”

Preparation

Mood said the first step in getting the project under way will be hiring an engineering firm to design the new road, hence the immediate post-election interest form engineers.

The request for proposals from engineering firms will be advertised within a couple of weeks, and Mood said it will be at least January or maybe February before staff will ask the council to approve the engineer’s hiring.

At the same time preparations will be made for the sale of the bonds, which will likely take place in February.

The scope of work that potential engineering firms will look at includes the removal of the asphalt and about a foot of soil. A new base of six to eight inches will be put down with a new layer of pavement four to six inches thick.

The work will also entail drainage improvements and new median and side curbing, and where necessary, sidewalks will be improved to meet ADA requirements.

There will also be changes at Saguaro and Avenue of the Fountains in an effort to make the intersection more pedestrian friendly.

Mood estimates it could take up to six months for the engineers to prepare the construction documents for the project, bringing the schedule to June or July when the contractor bidding process could begin.

Timing issue

The time for construction is approximately six months, according to Mood, which will present a dilemma for the Town Council to address.

Beginning the project in late summer or early fall will take construction through the winter months where it might disrupt special events like the fall Fountain Festival and Great Fair as well as downtown activities around the holidays.

That disruption might also impact downtown businesses at a time they are relying on winter visitors.

Mood said it would be up to the design engineers to determine a recommendation, but he is hoping they will be able to remove and rebuild two-lanes at a time to minimize disruption and restricted access to business areas.

If work began in August or September it would be completed February or March 2015.

The council may consider delaying the work to begin around March or April 2015 and it would then be completed by fall that year.

Kavanagh said she would like to move forward as quickly as possible, particularly with regard to the impact on cost related to any delays.

“I would like to proceed with the Saguaro reconstruction as soon as possible but I am concerned about the disruption to our planned events like the fairs.

“Staff has also informed me that summertime is better for road construction, but if delay means much higher interest rates, then saving the taxpayers’ money is most important to me.”

Shea project

The town is also working to finalize plans for another major road project, this one on Shea Boulevard.

A project that has been in the works for several years and is largely grant funded will improve Shea Boulevard between the town line at the Beeline Highway and Technology Drive at the west end of the Target shopping center.

Town Manager Ken Buchanan said they are still working on some right-of-way details involved in that project, but he hopes the work can be bid and begin early in 2014.

The Shea upgrade would expand the westbound side to a third lane, make improvements to the intersection with Saguaro Boulevard that would include Saguaro north as far as Trevino Drive and mill and overlay with new asphalt.

Other than bike lane improvements farther west, this would complete new pavement work on Shea all the way through Fountain Hills.