Austin City Council members gave the preliminary go-ahead Tuesday night for a number of 2012 street construction projects.

While many of the upcoming projects will include underground utility work and complete street reconstructions, others are smaller projects in which crews will overlay existing asphalt for maintenance purposes.

Council members approved assessment rates for the street projects, as well. The rates, which were $37 per lineal foot for residential street reconstruction, will increase to $38.25 per lineal foot. Commercial areas will see an increase from $53 to $54.75 per lineal foot.

Assistant City Engineer Stephen Lang said the increase will equate to about $75 over 15 years for a 50-foot lot. The city’s goal with street reconstruction projects is to assess 50 percent of the project cost to adjacent property owners over a period of 15 years. The proposed rates for 2012 will likely cover about 42 percent of project costs for the year.

Because the city must set assessment rates at the start of each year, before project bidding begins, officials must estimate an assessment price that will equal about 50 percent of the entire project cost. Lang said increased fuel and energy costs contribute to increases in assessment rates because project costs are higher.

All but one of the scheduled 2012 street projects will include some kind of assessments for adjacent property owners.

City Engineer Jon Erichson said the city will hold public hearings and meetings for property owners to be assessed in the coming months as the projects approach construction time.

 

Area projects that will undergo construction:

Ninth Street NW from First Avenue to Eighth Avenue – assessed

14th Street NW from Oakland Avenue to Eighth Avenue – assessed for sidewalk work only

10th Drive NE from 14th Street to 17th Street – assessed for overlays only

16th Street SE from Oakland Avenue to Fourth Avenue – no assessments

Fourth Street NW from Third Avenue to 10th Avenue – assessed for sidewalk only

 

Banfield School Area construction:

Second Avenue SW from 14th Street to 15th Street – assessed

Third Avenue SW from 15th Street to 17th Street – assessed

15th Street SW from Oakland Avenue to Third Avenue – assessed

17th Street SW from Oakland Avenue to Third Avenue – assessed

 

East Side Lake Dam Area construction:

22nd Avenue SW from 12th Street to 16th Street – assessed

13th Street NE from Oakland Avenue to Fourth Avenue – assessed

Oakland Avenue East from 12th Street to 13th Street – assessed

First Avenue NE from 11th Street to 12th Street – assessed

Third Avenue NE from 11th Street to 13th Street – assessed