Ark Valley News - Street a welcome mat to the city

Street a welcome mat to the city
Last Updated: March 22, 2018

It may cost $300,000, but it's a good compromise.

The Valley Center City Council earlier this month approved a proposal to resurface South Meridian from the railroad tracks to the southern city limits at 69th North.

There's no doubt the street needs some work. It's unsightly, and the potholes are hard on vehicles.

South Meridian is a major entrance into the city. We want it to look nice and inviting.

This project, however, would not have been necessary had the city's original plan to reconstruct the 1.2-mile section gone through. Unfortunately, it was derailed by shifting federal dollars to our big-city neighbors to the south.

The city had applied for federal funding for a $3.5 million project. Now, those funds likely won't be available for at least another eight or 10 years.

And even then, there's no guarantee the city would receive the money.

With that in mind, the city council said it didn't want to wait to improve Meridian. Officials hope the cheaper project will extend the life of the street another eight years. It can be seen as a short-term fix, but doing nothing doesn't appear to be an option.

This is the right thing to do at this time.

— The Ark Valley News