What will Gastonia do now that the transportation bond has passed?

By this time next year, many of Gastonia's streets will have received a face-lift — at least, that's the plan.

Gastonia intends to borrow $75 million through the sale of bonds, and one of their biggest projects will be the repaving of city streets. In a bond referendum, Gastonia voters approved the bond, and now the city is planning in earnest.

Essentially, City Manager Michael Peoples said, the city is going to begin the process of figuring out what streets need work, and then they will need to bid out the project. They hope to have delivered approximately $10 million of resurfacing by this time next year, he said. 

"I think the people have chosen to invest in the infrastructure in the city, so as the mayor and the council see fit to issue that debt that the voters here have approved, I think it is exciting. It's an exciting process for the mayor and the council and the citizens of the city," he said. 

City officials also have to decide what other infrastructure projects they intend to start. 

The 256 people who participated in a city survey about it indicated that they want the city to prioritize constructing or widening roads, resurfacing roads, improving intersections, improving safe routes to schools and parks, and constructing or restoring pedestrian walkways. Those, at least, were the top five issues those people want the city to address.

"While we're doing all these things, we'll continue to keep the survey open to the public. We hope that people will continue to submit what their priorities are and … where projects should be considered," Peoples said. 

The bond money has to be spent within seven to 10 years.

"This is significant in the history of the city. I think everybody is ready to get the work," Peoples said.

Reporter Kara Fohner can be reached at 705-869-1850 or at kfohner@gannett.com.