The Jefferson Public Works Department has had a busy construction season so far this year.

Public Works Director Dave Morlan says the Streets Department prepped and had Blacktop Services in to seal coat all of the alleyways in the northwest section of town, along with crack sealing the north-south streets. He explains why alleyways are seal coated with a special kind of oil with pea gravel mixture. 

“(It) Gives the alleys a hard surface, which after a couple, three years, or four years it needs another coat. But it gets rid of the gravel surface and it gives it a hard surface so it’s more durable.”

Another major street project was widening North Vine Street by three-feet near Home State Bank and installing 121-feet new sidewalk. Morlan talks about why the Streets Department did the project.

“Home State Bank made that request and they are doing all the work down there (with the building project). They really thought it was a safety issue and they requested that we do it for them, and the bank has volunteered to pay for the material to do that, and we just provided the labor.”

Morlan adds, an upcoming project is on Wilcox Way to replace about 200-feet of curb and gutter. To hear more from Morlan, listen to Thursday’s Community State Bank in Paton Let’s Talk Greene County program.