Why Does San Angelo Have So Much Street Construction?

SAN ANGELO, TX - The City of San Angelo recently hosted a Q&A session centered on San Angelo streets.

The meeting occurred on Feb. 1, and Operations Director Patrick Frerich gave a presentation about how the city approaches street maintenance and construction before taking questions from the audience.

According to the city, a repeating question was, “Why don't we finish one project before we begin another one?” 

Frerich answered that question.

“All these projects have phases,” he said. “It’s the underground utilities, then the base material, then the paving, then the sidewalk and concrete work, and on and on and on.”

Frerich then mentioned that every street project taking place in San Angelo is in a different phase of “rehabilitation.”

He used College Hills as an example, saying that the underground utility work is complete.

“That same group that did the College Hills underground is now working on Howard Street underground while the concrete guys are working on College Hills,” Frerich said. “So it's this dance between these five projects that's happening with the various crews, the various means, and the various methods that go into a full street rehabilitation.

“It doesn't do us any good to put off Howard Street for 10 more months until College Hills is done and then start Howard Street,” he said. “And then wait 18 months for Howard Street to get done before I start Jackson Street, and then wait another 12 months for Jackson Street to be done before I start North Chadbourne Street; I'm already three years out. Why would I do that when I can get five streets going all at the same time and knock this stuff out in the short amount of time as I possibly can.”

“That's our mindset, and why we have multiple projects going on all at one time because we want to get them done,” the operations director said. “We want to give our citizens in the city of San Angelo an amazing roadway to drive on and amazing infrastructure to use as quickly as we possibly can.”

For more information on city streets, visit cosatx.us/streets.