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Bridge City residents can get along much smoother now — especially if they are traveling down certain streets in town.

Road work on several streets in town has new surfaces poured, part of a $9.6 million project according to city manager Jerry Jones.

“The project has been moving along relatively well,” Jones said. “The release of funds took a lot of time. The first round of the $9,689,653 project went to generators, drainage work and a S.C.A.D.A system that lets us monitor all of the water and sewer plants from one location.”

The phase of street repairs and resurfacing covers a 12-mile stretch and comes under a $2,178,865 bid, Jones said.

“We are doing a six-mile stretch of hot mix asphalt and six-miles worth of chip seal,” he said. “We budgeted $3 million for the job, so we have about $1 million left that we can put toward areas that could be severely damaged.”

Currently, the street resurfacing has been taking place on East Roundbunch, Stewart, Nevils, Rachel, Jones, Blueberry, Bland and Henry streets.

“Before paving, we added about four to six inches of base material to the streets,” Jones said. “These are streets that were heavily damaged during (Hurricane Ike) due to standing water and heavy trucks bringing in trailers and equipment for rebuilding.”

Jones said that an environmental study is currently being conducted so that they can begin the resurfacing project on the 13 streets in the Dugas subdivision within the next couple of weeks.

“That phase will also include 11 streets between Lake and Henry streets,” he said. “We also plan on completing the rest of Roberts to Jones streets, including N. John and Crepe Myrtle Avenue.”

Jones said that the current work schedule should have all street resurfacing completed by the end of September or early October.

Jones also said that the city has also applied with the Texas Department of Rural Affairs for an additional $4.6 million for future sewer repair work.