MEXICO — Getting around town roads during the next couple of construction seasons may be a challenge at times, but town officials believe it will be worth it.

The board approved hiring Al Hodsdon, a Waterville engineer, to design improvements for Alder Street, South Main Street, Spring Street, Osgood Avenue, and a portion of Backkingdom Road so that the town can apply for a Community Development Block Grant that could be used for some of the repairs.

Those streets that require installation of water or sewer lines can fall under a CDBG. The cost for the rest will be financed by a bond residents approved last year. Work on those roads will likely take place in 2011, Town Manager John Madigan said.

For this construction season, Swett Avenue is planned for completion, while work will begin on Dalton Avenue, Mount Street and Mexico Avenue. Costs for these streets is expected to be between $700,000 and $800,000, which will come from the bond.

Residents approved borrowing up to $2 million last year for road construction work.

The need for bonding came about because many of the roads are in poor shape, and the amount of money put aside during each budget cycle is insufficient for doing the road work.

“A lot of things have been neglected,” Madigan said.

In a related matter meant to spruce up the town, condemnation of a vacant two-story building on Granite Street will soon begin, after fire Chief Gary Wentzell reported it is a safety and health hazard.

Selectmen will decide at their Feb. 17 meeting how they will finance the road work. Madigan presented various scenarios for borrowing the funds from the Maine Bond Bank at the Feb. 3 meeting.

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