AUBURN – City roads would get another dose of heavy investment this year, according to proposed capital spending.

The city would spend $3.9 million on road reclamation, resurfacing and reconstruction projects this year, part of a 10-year plan to boost the quality of all of the city’s roads. That was part of an $8.9 million capital spending plan presented to councilors Monday by Laurie Smith, acting city manager.

Councilors are just beginning their review of the fiscal year 2008-09 budget, and will take copies of the departmental budget on March 17 and begin working on the school department budgets on March 18. They’ll review the capital plan during those discussions and are scheduled to adopt a final budget by the end of April.

Last year, councilors approved about $4 million in capital spending on Auburn’s roads, including new layers of asphalt on 10 roads and complete reconstruction on three others. This year’s road investments would be similar.

Maintained roads cost the city less, according to assistant Public Works Director Sid Hazelton. The worse shape a road is in, the more expensive it will be to fix.

“That’s why we’d like to get our roads in that better shape now, and spend less on them in the future,” he said.

Councilor Bruce Bickford said it sounded like a wise investment.

“It’s like putting a new roof on your house,” Bickford said. “You may have to take out a loan to do it, and you pay for that. But you are protecting your house and your walls and your floors. It saves money in the long run.”

At least one resident said the capital spending looked too big.

“This capital improvements budget scares me,” said Andy Titus of 45 Carson St. “The way it’s going, I don’t know if in five or 10 years, I’ll still be able to afford to live here.”