The Auburn City Council unanimously approved a resolution Thursday night allowing the New York State Department of Transportation to adjust city-owned utilities as part of the long-awaited arterial highway repaving project.
Auburn City Clerk Chuck Mason called the vote “a huge step forward” for the state-led project, which has been in development for years.
“We’ve been in talks with New York State DOT about the repaving of the arterial highway for many years,” Mason said. “This resolution being adopted unanimously by council last night is a huge step forward.”
The project is expected to repave approximately 2.7 miles of the arterial highway through Auburn, stretching from the western city line through downtown to the Standart Avenue intersection.
Mason said the project is projected to cost about $24 million and will be led by the state DOT.
“It will pave the arterial highways as they go through Auburn,” Mason said. “The road is in really bad shape in some spots.”
According to Mason, the DOT is expected to award the construction contract sometime this summer, with initial underground utility work beginning later this year. Most of the major repaving work is expected during the 2027 construction season.
The council’s approval allows the DOT to proceed with utility adjustments tied to the project.
