CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Bay Ltd., a local construction company, has been able to rehire workers who were laid off at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to the city speeding-up approval of road maintenance projects.
“(Bay Ltd.) said 'Yes, it would be great to be able to bring back some of the staff' that they were having to let go," said Corpus Christi Director of Public Works Richard Martinez. "(That made it) so that (the city) could accelerate our projects."
The Corpus Christi City Council approved acceleration of road projects in March, which created enough work for Bay to take on 70 more employees.
The added benefit: more pothole-filled roads fixed in less time.
“This has really helped boost bringing people back to work and getting the streets that need to be repaired here in Corpus Christi -- get them accelerated from a two-year process to a 14-to-16 month process,” Martinez said.
He blames the eight-to-10 month road-maintenance delay on his predecessor and his staff misidentifying the kinds of repairs certain roads needed.
Even though the process is now streamlined, Martinez points out that there's still plenty of work to be done.
“I would just like to say 'thank you,' " he said. "And I want to tell the citizens of Corpus Christi thank you for your patience and support, but we’re getting to your street.”
Bay Ltd. wouldn't do on-camera interviews for this report, but officials within the company did provide information.
