One part of the Street Maintenance Program turns a lot of heads even before construction begins - video taping the streets.  Why would anyone want a video tape of a street pavement?

Video taping is used for several reasons. First, each street typically requires a variety of repairs:

These repairs are mapped out on the street with bright pink paint before construction begins. When these paint marks are captured on video tape, they are a record of specific locations where work took place. If problems are encountered during or after the work, the video can be used to help determine the nature of the problem and the appropriate steps can be taken to correct it.

The other reason for the video taping is to establish a record of the condition of the adjoining streets, lawns, landscaping and driveways.

If damage occurs, the video tape helps us to restore these areas to their original condition prior to construction.

Video taping streets allows us to collect a great deal of valuable information without a time consuming mapping process.

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Did you ever think about the "life" of a street?  Consider a street's youth, for example.  When a pavement is new, it is really very resilient, taking the bump and grind of garbage and delivery trucks, the squealing tires of the neighbor's teenagers, and the seasonal abuse of rain, snow, heat and cold, without showing much sign of wear.

With the passage of time, the effects of traffic and weather begin to show.  Cracks begin to appear and the pavement starts to ravel around the edges.  Here and there, parts of the street may even sag a bit.  In spite of all that, the street is still in pretty good condition.

As still more time goes by, the street continues to lose its ability to "bounce back" from the effects of traffic and weather, and after years of adequate service, it reaches a point where it begins to deteriorate more rapidly.  The existing cracks become wider and potholes begin to appear.  Water from the rain and snow will seep through these cracks and holes, weakening the gravel base and soil beneath the asphalt.  Soon, the weak and aging pavement will no longer be able to stand up to the traffic and weather and the street will fail.

Fortunately, there is an alternative. The City's annual Street Overlay and Sealcoat Project is designed to prolong the life of a street by applying PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, such as an asphalt overlay, before the pavement reaches the final stage of its life - the period of rapid deterioration.  An asphalt overlay is part facelift and part reincarnation.  After the overlay, the street will look very much like it did when it was new, and will again be able to withstand the effects of traffic and weather.  And, the very best part of all this is that PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE saves the taxpayers a bundle of money.

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"No Parking" signs will be placed at least 24 hours in advance of the actual parking restriction, but in some cases they may be posted as many as two or three days in advance. So it is important to read the entire sign carefully to identify the dates when the "No Parking" restriction actually applies, such as "Monday, June 8." The "No Parking" signs will also state the nature of the work such as "Concrete Repair."

When posted, parking restrictions are normally in effect from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Generally speaking, work will not be allowed, and parking will not be restricted outside these hours.

PLEASE READ AND OBEY THE PARKING RESTRICTIONS POSTED ON YOUR STREET.

Your cooperation in observing the "No Parking" signs is one of the big keys to the success of the whole street repair project!

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"Why isn't the work being done in the summer when traffic is light and school is out?"

We're glad you asked! Construction on the Overlay Project starts as early as April, and because the work load is so heavy, it continues nonstop into November. There is often an extensive amount of underground utility work to be done in advance of the overlay to minimize excavation in the brand new street in the future. This coordination helps maintain the integrity of the street and keep maintenance costs down, however, it also means some streets will have to be completed later in the year.

"I need to use a wheelchair and was very impressed by the communication, follow-through and accommodations made by those involved.  Everyone from office staff to flag persons was very helpful.  Thank you, I was very grateful for the extra considerations."

"I do not understand why our street was resurfaced when there are several other City streets in much worse condition."

Part of what makes your car, your house, and your street last so long is proper maintenance. If an overlay is placed while a street is still in relatively good condition, the street will continue to function properly for many years to come. It is very important to protect the massive investment the City has in the street system, and maintain the good streets before they deteriorate beyond repair. Streets which have deteriorated so badly that they must be completely reconstructed are extremely expensive. In order to to address these existing conditions, we spend approximately one half of the overlay budget maintaining good streets (about 15 miles/year), and the other half reconstructing streets.

"I wish there was a way of using this treatment (overlay) on more streets, instead of the slurry seal treatment."

The slurry seal is an excellent alternative for streets which are due for an overlay, but are postponed due to budget limitations.  The slurry seal maintains good streets before they deteriorate beyond repair, which allows an overlay, rather than a costly reconstruction, to be scheduled in the future.

"Some of the concrete repairs appeared to be unnecessary."

The Overlay Project repairs concrete curb and gutter only if it is causing a serious drainage problem. Sometimes this is not obvious to the casual observer, as the sidewalk may not be cracked or damaged. If these concrete repairs go unattended, they may eventually cause damage to the pavement by allowing water to seep under the pavement and weaken the gravel base and soil beneath the street.

"Thanks for knocking on my door when I forgot to move my car!" "The City does an excellent job with street maintenance.  The planning and implementation of the projects in our neighborhood was first rate.  Well done!"

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