Council directs staff to pursue $1.7M‑$3M Marshall Street rebuild, to be phased over two years

Cold Water's council on March 9 gave staff direction to pursue a substantial upgrade to Marshall Street, adopting resolution 2622 to begin design and bidding for a combination approach that reconstructs the worst segment and resurfaces the rest.

Engineering staff and consultant Fishbach presented three treatment tiers: a band‑aid mill/pave of part of the east lane (about $230,000), mill/pave of the corridor, and full reconstruction of key sections. Estimates ranged from about $230,000 for limited surface work to more than $3 million for full reconstruction between Church and State. Staff recommended reconstructing the section between Clark and State and milling/paving from Clark to Church, producing a roughly $1.7 million plan with a projected 10–20 year life span depending on treatment.

Council discussed funding options, including using street reserves (act 51 funds), spreading costs over two fiscal years and potential small bond issuances; staff said the city's street fund balance and budget planning could accommodate a phased approach. Council adopted resolution 2622 to authorize staff to proceed with design and bid documents for the recommended mix and to bring bids back for approval.

Council members emphasized the street's heavy usage and liability concerns with failing traffic surfaces. Staff noted that water and sewer spot repairs would be coordinated with the paving work, and that lead‑line replacements in the area are complete.

Next steps: staff to finalize engineering design, advertise bids and return bid results to council for contract award; construction likely staged across 2026 and 2027 if full reconstruction is selected.