ROYAL CITY — Some streets in Royal City could be getting a makeover, according to information presented at the Royal City Council meeting Tuesday.

City Finance Director Shilo Christensen told council members the city is applying to the state Transportation Improvement Board for funds under the Small City Preservation Program to perform chip sealing on streets on the west end of town, as well as on Ahlers and several other streets in the north end. The city is already making improvements in the area anyway, Christensen said, and the chip sealing will be necessary after that work is finished.

“We're going to be tearing up the roads putting in new water lines,” Christensen said, showing a map highlighting parts of Balsam, Calla and Grape streets, as well as Hemlock and Hawthorne avenues and Calla Loop. “What our engineers are trying to do is, they're applying to the Transportation Improvement Board to receive funds. So at the same time we're laying pipe, we can redo the roads a lot better.”

The streets on the north side of town slated for possible improvement include portions of Ahlers Road, Wildflower and King streets, Poarch and Hargraves avenues and Widmer Drive. This area is not getting the water line upgrade, but the streets are being crack sealed in anticipation of receiving monies for the chip sealing.

The two projects were lumped together to improve the chances of approval, Mayor Kent Andersen said.

The city will pay $15,000-$20,000 for the chip sealing on the north side of town and $40,000-$45,000 for the west side, Christensen said. The TIB application is for a loan of $235,000 and a grant of a little over $1 million, he added.

In addition, the council voted to authorize $30,000 to do a study into the feasibility of lengthening Beech Avenue. Currently, the avenue extends north from downtown and south through the Frenchman Hill Apartments, but there is a gap of about 600 feet that is bisected by a canal. The canal is covered in that area and there is already foot traffic, but the extension would join the two and make a single through street. This would take some of the burden off nearby Apple Avenue, pointed out Andersen.

Because the extended road would cross a canal, Andersen said, the Bureau of Reclamation would also have to be consulted, to determine if the existing cover over the canal meets the Bureau’s weight restrictions.

“Most people don't know this, but that was actually the original sewer for the city, years ago,” Andersen added.

Joel Martin may be reached at jmartin@columbiabasinherald.com.