YOUNGSTOWN — City council authorized ordinances for about $1.56 million worth of improvements to three main streets and to spend $930,203 for city vehicles and equipment.

The streets would be improved starting in August 2026 under an estimated $1,555,000 project. The work includes repaving and drainage work.

The legislation calls for 80% of the project’s cost to be paid by the state, through federal funding already obtained, with the city covering the remaining 20%. Charles Shasho, deputy director of public works, said he expects the city’s share to come from an Ohio Public Works Commission grant so there would be no cost to the city.

One ordinance, approved Wednesday by city council, authorizes the board of control to seek bids and award a contract with the other to enter into an agreement with the Ohio Department of Transportation.

The streets are:

• Marshall Street from the bridge over the Mahoning River to Glenwood Avenue.

• Salt Springs Road from the Interstate 680 ramp to Steel Street.

• Belle Vista Avenue from Mahoning Avenue to Salt Springs Road.

City council also approved legislation Wednesday to spend up to $2 million for its residential paving program that will start in June.

The legislation was amended to go from $1.3 million to $2 million because streets off of Mahoning Avenue that had waterlines replaced last year need to be paved and combining the two into one project reduced the cost, Shasho said. The $700,000 additional cost would be covered by water funds.

R.T Vernal Paving & Excavating Inc. of North Lima submitted the apparent low bid of $1,827,315 when proposals were opened Friday. The other bid was $1,996,500 from Lindy Paving, a Pennsylvania company with an office in Struthers.

Also, council voted Wednesday to permit the board of control pay $682,982 to G. Stephens Inc. of Akron to serve as project manager and provide inspection services for an $8,247,116 water main and lead line replacement project to more than 720 homes in the Buckeye Plat neighborhood on the city’s southeast side.

The city is borrowing the money for the improvement work and the G. Stephens contract from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency with 50% of it forgiven upon the project’s completion.

Council also voted Wednesday to make $930,203 worth of purchases for city vehicles and equipment.

The largest are both for the street department: $288,091 for a street sweeper and $206,462 for a boom mower, which permits the cutting of trees and vegetation in areas difficult to reach.

Councilman Jimmy Hughes, D-2nd Ward, said he had issues with the street department’s scheduling of the use of the boom mower. But he voted in favor of the purchase.

Other purchases approved were $152,428 to replace 61 large water meters for the water department, $82,800 for a crew dump truck for the street department, $68,901 for a skid steer loader for the street department, $55,140 for a truck for the park department, $44,383 for a new vehicle storage door for the water department and $31,998 for two zero-turn mowers for the parks department.