Cape Coral City Council-member Kevin McGrail is urging residents north of Kismet Parkway to attend his town hall meeting this Saturday, Aug. 21, hoping to get some input on funds recently earmarked for road repairs.
McGrail said the Transporta-tion Advisory Committee unanimously voted to approve up to $1.9 million for road improvements Wednesday.
The funds still have to be approved by city council at its Aug. 23 meeting.
McGrail said the money was made available through returned 5 and 6-cent gas tax funds.
For now, $1 million is pledged to the resurfacing project, with the remaining amount to be determined at a later date.
McGrail said resident input during the town hall session could be vital as to where, and how, those remaining funds are spent.
“I’m hoping to get a lot of residents from that neighborhood to give us feedback,” he said. “They can really help us fine tune this.”
McGrail previously floated the idea of an assessment to raise the estimated $5 million for road repairs in north Cape, but has since passed on the notion due to negative feedback.
The roads north of Kismet Parkway are dismal, McGrail said, representing some of the worst roads in the city.
With some of the existing pavement nearly 40 years old, McGrail said council might not be able to save them all, but this will be a good start.
“We have $1 million and will hopefully be able to put as much of that other million into a second phase,” he said. “We may not be able to pave them all, but we can get to the areas that need it most.”
McGrail’s town hall will also address the budget, and the land use changes council recently approved.
McGrail and some city staff will be available for individual, one on one questions.
McGrail’s town hall is Saturday, Aug. 21, 2-4 p.m., at the Northwest Regional Library, 519 Chiquita Boulevard, N., in Cape Coral
For more information, contact McGrail at city hall at 574-0436.