FAIRMONT– A comprehensive review of the 2026 Improvement Program was provided to the Fairmont City Council on Monday. The preliminary costs total $8.1 million and projects include Park Street and Orient Street, which are reconstruction projects, and 12 different overlay projects.

The projects will be funded by municipal state aid, a federal Small City Surface Transportation Program (STP) grant, improvement program bonds and special assessments.

Tyler Cowing, a civil engineer with the city, spent time going over each of the projects.

“The intent of our improvement program is to improve the street condition, extend the life of our pavements, improve neighborhood aesthetics and reduce maintenance time for city crews, whether it be utility or street crews,” Cowing said.

The first project looking to be completed in 2026, Cowing said, is the Park Street reconstruction project, which spans from Blue Earth Avenue to 4th Street.

“This street was originally constructed in I believe the 40s,” Cowing said. “We’re proposing to build a 48 ft. wide street, which is what currently is now, providing new sidewalks, curb and gutters, street utilities, everything within this project.”

The next project in the program is Orient Street, which includes two separate blocks, Blue Earth Avenue to 1st Street and 3rd Street to 4th Street.

Cowing said the two blocks between those have had more recent work done and are in decent condition while the two planned for work have not been addressed in many years.

“We’re looking to rebuild this the same width that it is. It’s currently a 32 ft. wide bituminous street,” Cowing said.

The rest of the projects are overlay projects, the first of which is Blue Earth Avenue from Downtown Plaza to Highway 15. There are federal funds to do a mill and overlay on the street and Cowing called it more of a rehab rehabilitation project which will also include ADA improvements, a roundabout at Prairie Avenue and a two-way stop configuration at Park Street. There will also be green space improvements and sidewalk improvements.

The other overlay projects include Budd Street: Home Street to Burton Lane; Burton Lane: School Street to Perimeter Drive; Cedar Creek Court: W. Amber Lake Drive to the deadend; Deli Street: Albion Avenue to the deadend; Government Street: Albion Avenue to the deadend; Home Street: Adams Avenue to Budd Street; School Street: Home Street to Burton Lane; Highway 15 Service F: Adams Avenue to Victoria Street; Highway 15 Service W: Torgerson Drive to the deadend; 12th Street: N. Park Street to N. Prairie Avenue.

The last of the overlay projects is the Aquatic Park parking lot. It was constructed along with the park in 1994 and has had no improvements since then. Cowing said the surface is starting to deteriorate and have some “alligator cracking” on it. He said a mill and overlay should extend the life of it without having to do much base work and will provide a nice surface to walk on.

Cowing said that the preliminary assessments have been put together but the actual costs will come at the end of the project and a notice will be mailed out for the assessment hearing. The hearing date to approve the assessments will be in the spring of 2027.

The council accepted the engineering report and approved setting the public hearing time and date for 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 23.