New pavement for Main Street could cost more than $30,000 over what the city had estimated it would.

Council will vote on the contract this evening.

Brian Crist, the city's director of operations, brought forward a recommendation to council last Monday night that the city award a $499,770 contract to Skookum Asphalt for the work. It would see Main Street repaved from First to Fourth avenues in August and September.

The contract would be awarded to the only company to bid on the work that was estimated to cost $467,000.

As Brian Crist, the city's director of operations, noted in a report to council, resurfacing comes to Main Street after a quarter-century.

"This road surface was originally paved 25 years ago,” notes the report.

"The city has been meeting with the downtown business community to ensure that the work is scheduled such that it has least impact on their business.”

Within the tender was a requirement that the contractor work with businesses on the street so the paving can be done in sections and during non-business hours so there's less disturbance.

The tender documents also included a provision that if there is damage to underground pipes, they will be fixed, which had Coun. Doug Graham arguing there could be "substantial delays” with major digging.

Coun. Ranj Pillai also had concerns about the project. While he understands resurfacing Main Street, he said, there are many other streets next to Main that could use work.

He wondered if there was any way to speak with officials from the Downtown Community Association and look at repairing other roads in the area.

Crist explained administration could go ahead with talks involving the association, just as any group could come forward with a request to fix up certain streets during annual budget discussions.

He noted that for this year, Main Street was given the top priority for resurfacing. Other projects identified, including resurfacing part of Range Road, will depend on funding available after this contract is awarded.

"Not awarding this contract will result in no asphalt overlay work being undertaken this year and the asphaltic roadways would slide further into regression, resulting in much higher construction costs for repairs and/or replacement in the future,” reads the report.