GIRARD — A long-awaited project to improve waterflow along Trumbull Avenue was approved during a special city council meeting Monday.

Council awarded a contract to J.S. Bova Excavating LLC of Struthers for the Trumbull Avenue water main replacement project at cost not to exceed $864,862.

Safety / Service Director Jerry Lambert said the city will receive nearly $225,000 from Eastgate Regional Council of Governments for the project, which is replacing an aged waterline. The remaining costs will be funded from the city’s water department.

Fourth Ward Councilman Thomas Grumley said the project is needed and has been discussed for some time. Trumbull Avenue is in his ward.

“We have got to fix the waterline. We have been working on this for years. It is exciting to see this move forward to get it done,” he said.

Grumley said there has been water pressure issues that have plagued the Trumbull Avenue area for some time.

City Engineer Terry Meek said the current waterline on the south side of Trumbull Avenue from State Street to the bridge before the road passes over state Route 711 will be replaced by a new eight-inch waterline and all water services will then be transferred to the new line.

“The waterline we have there is in poor condition and a third of the leaks we have in the city occur in that part of town. The new waterline will help to alleviate that problem,” Meek said.

Other summer projects being worked on include preparing roads for paving work to begin next week.

Lambert said the roads scheduled to be paved this summer are being prepared for paving for next week.

Council this spring had approved a contract with Lindy Paving of Pittsburgh for $328,762 for summer street paving.

Scheduled to be paved are sections of Hickory Trace, Squaw Creek Drive, Dot Street and Ward, Park, Beechwood, Gary, Broadview, Stambaugh, Wilson, St. Clair and Highland avenues.