Repairs coming to several Hondo streets

By Rosanne Fohn

Anvil Herald reporter

This summer, road maintenace will focus on eight Hondo streets. City council approved the $200,164 contract with Holbrook Asphalt LLC at  its June 8 meeting.

HA5, the high-density mineral coating used to improve streets in “fair” condition, extends the road surface for five to 10 years, said City Manager John Naron. The city has used the relatively new product for two to three years.

The streets to be coated include:

• Zachry Lane from Carter to the western end at the South Texas Regional Airport;

• Avenue U from 14th Street to 30th Street.

• Boerne Avenue from 22nd Street to US 90;

• 13th Street from Avenue N to Avenue P;

• 12th Street from Avenue M to Avenue P;

• 20th Street from Avenue M to Avenue  U;

• 18th Street from Avenue E east to the city limits;

• 18th Street from Avenue M to Avenue U;

• Avenue E from 15th Street to 18th Street;

• Avenue H from 29 1/2 Street to 30th Street.

Councilman Porky Ytuarte was unhappy that more streets would not be treated, especially because Zachry Lane at the South Texas Regional Airport was included rather than some other heavily damaged streets in town. Zachry Lane is used primarily by large trucks to transport products from airport businesses to other locations. 

“The 18-wheeler (drivers) are not paying taxes and they probably are not even eating lunch here,” Ytuarte said.

However, Naron explained that only certain streets   meet the criteria for being treated with HA5 based on their use and their condition. 

“We use a system called Good Roads IO. It’s a camera mounted on a vehicle and it measures and identifies streets on a computerized index for each part of the road,” Naron said. “We have to maintain the roads that are in ‘OK’ condition and bring them up to good condition so that they don’t end up like the roads you’re talking about — the ones that are really bad — and those are very expensive to repair.” 

It is less expensive in the long run, he said, to treat average-wear streets to lengthen their use and tackle a few very bad roads with the other part of the street budget each year.  

Major road work, too

Naron said he will be presenting plans  for major repairs to the entire length of Avenue U at the next council meeting. Avenue U is a heavily used street in bad condition, he said. And he will be proposing another new product to repair that street.

Speaking again of HA5, Naron said, “We’ve had (city staff from) Pearsall and Castroville come and look at our streets and they’re going to be using HA5, as well.” 

Naron added that staff is working on a five-year street maintenance plan that will allow council to budget annually for road repairs rather that taking on an expensive bond package to repair all the roads at once that will lead to all of them  needing maintenance all at one time.

Acknowledging Ytuarte’s frustration with the speed of street repairs, Naron added, “Streets are one of the most difficult things in local government because if you walk outside your door and there’s a pothole, it affects you directly. It’s the street that you’re most worried about because it’s the one that you see and travel on every day. However, there is a method to this.

“I ask for your patience. We’ve done a lot of streets since I’ve been here and we’ve made tremendous strides.”