As we conclude the year, we are actively planning and organizing our road improvement schedule for the coming spring. As a rule, the borough intends to repair around 5.5 miles of road per year, or around 10% of our total. This is because we have found that going too far over this amount (7+ miles) of road repair can result in traffic control concerns and management challenges. This amounts to around $1.2 million in investment each year with around $400,000 of it coming from our liquid fuels funding that is disbursed by the commonwealth each year.
In 2022, 6.5 miles of road will receive micro surfacing repair which is a low-cost, but effective, way of prolonging the life of a road and ensuring the community receives the full value of the investment that was made to do the repairs. Additionally, 6.2 miles of roadway will receive concrete improvements to set up paving projects in 2023. Concrete work must be done in advance of the paving to ensure the longevity of the repair. The following roads are designated for concrete repair in 2022 and paving in 2023:
In the long-term vision for road repair, we are looking at a six-year schedule that will repair, in total, 20-plus miles of micro surfacing repair work and an additional nine miles of crack and seal management for roadways that need immediate attention and mitigation. Additionally, we are investigating how to extend the life of repair even further by utilizing new technology to improve our roadway infrastructure. One option includes a product called NovaChip, which is a highly durable product that finishes the same as regular paving and has a 15-year life expectancy with very little maintenance. It does have higher up-front costs; however, it also has the lowest cost per mile over the lifespan of the product, which means we will have to repair the roadway less often in the future. It also doesn’t require milling, which makes the repair process faster and more convenient for residents.
Finally, there are about 10 miles of roadway that are not addressed in the six-year plan currently due to the cost of repair being extremely high. To address these roadways, we are looking for additional funding to bring these roads into the roadway improvement plan while also looking at new technology to decrease the cost of repair. One option may be a “double chip seal,” which is an inexpensive way to restore roads that cannot be paved either due to utility issues or budget constraints. Logistically it is more intrusive in that it's a two-step process, however, it is extremely durable and will greatly improve the 10 miles of roadway not currently planned for in the six-year plan.
Altogether, we are working diligently to improve and upgrade our existing roadway infrastructure. Our roadways are critical to the success of the community and reflect the investment we make in ourselves as a borough. Residents, visitors, commuters, and businesses need to know that we are going to maintain our core infrastructure so that Lansdale continues to be a great place to live, work, and play. Our six-year improvement plan keeps us on that path and will help build Lansdale into the next version of itself as we continue to move forward together.
(Mayoral Musings is a weekly op-ed column submitted to North Penn Now, courtesy of Lansdale Borough Mayor Garry Herbert.)
See also:
Mayoral Musings: Showing Gratitude for Volunteers This Thanksgiving
Mayoral Musings: Mardi Gras Parade This Saturday
Mayoral Musings: Forward Together
Mayoral Musings: Local Elections Matter, Remember to Vote Tomorrow
Mayoral Musings: Real-Time Data Systems and Emergency Management
