Butler City Council awarded a contract to pave streets throughout the city this summer.

Council members unanimously voted Thursday to award the $323,732 contract to Shields Asphalt Paving.

Paving will take place on sections of Brady Street, Third Avenue, Cunningham Street, Pillow Street, Hansen Avenue, Locust Street, North McKean Street, South Washington Street, East Birch Street, Third Street, West Walnut Street. Pittsburgh Pike and the brick-covered American Avenue.

Work is expected to begin in three or four weeks and take four to six weeks to complete.

The contract calls for paving over the existing brick surface on American Avenue.

Paving over the brick surface is more cost efficient than removing the bricks and building a new road, said John Evans, building code official.

“If money wasn't an issue, removing the brick would be better. It's cost prohibitive,” Evans said.

Councilman Kenny Bonus, director of streets and public improvements, said American Avenue residents will receive a letter notifying them about the paving before work begins.

Councilman Jeff Smith said he doesn't doubt that those streets need to be resurfaced, but he wants the list that ranks all city streets in order of condition. He said residents often ask him for the list of streets that are going to be paved.

Evans said he would give Smith the list.

The city contacts utility companies ahead of work to avoid paving a street before a utility excavates it for a service-line replacement project, Bonus said.

The contract includes applying a tar and chip coating to sections of Broad Street, Kittanning Street and Ritts Park Road.

A $57,622 contract was awarded to Davis Demolition and Excavating to install new curb ramps on the streets being paved.

In another infrastructure project, council awarded a $255,500 contract to Bauer Excavating for the Monroe Street storm sewer replacement project. The project is expected to begin in three or four weeks and take three weeks to complete.

A $20,130 change order reduced the project cost to the amount of the contract.