IRON MOUNTAIN — Nearly 2.75 miles of local streets and alleys will be paved in 2019 under a plan reviewed Monday by Iron Mountain City Council.

Bids for the work will be opened March 18, and the amount of paving could be increased or decreased once the quotes are received, City Manager Jordan Stanchina said.

“If we come in better than budgeted, there’s plenty we can add,” he said.

The biggest project will be on Main Street from Grant to Vulcan streets, a distance of more than a half-mile. A project on Birch Street from West B to Hughitt streets will include storm sewer work that will be part of the bid specifications, Stanchina said.

In all, about 11,515 feet of streets and 2,970 feet of alleys will be considered for paving.

Other proposed work includes Apollo Drive from Kennedy Road to South Grant Street; Kennedy Drive from North Elementary School to Main Street; Aragon Street from Main to Fifth streets; Wells Street from Tamarack Street to Golfview Drive; Hughitt Street from Iron Mountain to Jackson streets; East H Street from Park to Michigan avenues; a 575-foot portion of Fleshiem Street west from Hemlock Street; a 460-foot portion of Birch Street starting at Hughitt Street and extending to a dead end; and 600 feet of a private drive east of Milliman Street that recently was accessed for a logging operation on city land.

The proposed alley work is on East H /I Street from Park to Michigan avenue; the odd side of East A Street from Park Avenue to Jackson Street; Houghteling Street and Kent Street from Pine to Forest streets; and Wells Street and Houghteling Street from Pine to Forest streets.

In other action, the council:

— Issued a pair of traffic control orders to ease congestion at the alley directly behind Contrast Coffee at Carpenter Avenue and H Street. Vehicles exiting the alley now must turn right only, and traffic may not enter the alley from H Street. The need for such a change had been anticipated when a site plan for the business was reviewed earlier this year, Stanchina said.

— Renewed a lease with Florida-based Vertical Bridge for a communications tower on city property on Millie Hill. The new lease is for 10 years with a $20,000 bonus payment to the city, base rent of $10,000 annually, plus 20 percent of the structure’s net income, which is anticipated to generate $22,000 to $24,000 per year. Those terms are similar to a renewal approved last month with SBA Communications, also of Florida, for its Millie Hill tower. Both leases allow the city to “press the issue” if tower income isn’t reported accurately, City Attorney Gerald Pirkola said.

— Agreed to move ahead on a request from Kyle Fortier to purchase up to 4 acres of city property off Hillcrest Drive for construction of a home. An appraiser has estimated the value at $9,000 per acre. A purchase agreement will be negotiated and a public hearing is required before final council approval.

— Will solicit bids to replace the city’s fuel management software and pumps at the public works building, noting the current software is nearly 30 years old and is the first priority. Although bids will be sought for both, the pump replacement might be put off until next year, depending on the price. The total cost could range from $30,000 to $40,000.

— Heard Stanchina report that last week’s cold weather prompted the city’s water department to initiate a number of let-runs to protect city-owned infrastructure. There has been just one frozen service line to date. Meanwhile, Monday’s rains resulted “in a lot of flooded streets,” Stanchina said, complicated by frozen catch basins and drains covered with ice crusts. City crews worked to clear drains and thaw basins where feasible.

— Noted no garbage collections were done Monday due to the weather. The tentative plan is have collections delayed by one day from the normal schedule this week.