Are the conditions of your streets worsening and costing more to maintain each year?  Do you want to do something about it but don’t know where to start?  A pavement assessment can help you evaluate your options for street repair and maintenance in a simple and straightforward manner.  We have answered a few questions you might have about pavement assessments.

 

How do I know I should be considering a pavement assessment?
If your annual budgeted amount for street repair cannot keep up with the actual cost of repairs, if may be time to consider a pavement assessment.  Visually, if you notice more than four or five major cracks per block, it is time to start to thinking about a pavement assessment.

What is the typical pavement assessment process?
The first step is setting up a meeting with a qualified firm that performs street assessments, your street committee, and other interested policy makers.  Your consultant will explain the process of pavement improvements from concept to completion.  A comprehensive pavement assessment is usually the first course of action. 

Once a plan of action is in place, an initial public meeting is typically a good idea.  Your consultant will describe the pavement assessment process and inform the public that surveyors will be seen around the city for the next few weeks.  The concerns of the citizens will be heard and contact information will be provided if more questions should arise at a later date.

A detailed field assessment of all paved surfaces within the municipal right-of-way ensures the most effective use of improvement dollars.  After field work is completed, a map of the current conditions will be developed.  Recommendations for improvements and estimates of improvement costs will be made.

A Draft Pavement Assessment will be presented to the governing body and street committee.  A second public meeting will then be held to present the results of the assessment, present potential improvements and funding scenarios, and poll the public on preferred alternative.

After comments are reviewed, a final report will be completed and submitted to the governing body.  Once the final report is approved, it will serve as the Preliminary Engineering Report required by funding agencies and for special assessment district should the municipality decide to move forward with a project.

Design of comprehensive and clear plans and specifications are completed to keep bid prices competitive and minimize change orders.  The project is then put out for bids.  February and March are typically good months for competitive bid results .

Your consultant may be able to assist you with funding applications and help you through the special assessment process if necessary.  Once funding is in place and bids are accepted, construction may begin. 

Through construction, your consultant will provide construction phase services to ensure that the project meets specifications. 

Your consultant should also monitor the performance of the project through the warranty period.  Prior to the expiration of the warranty, the consultant will perform a detailed inspection of the work and make sure that defective items, if any, are corrected.

How much does a typical pavement assessment cost?
Although several factors may affect the cost of a pavement assessment, typically an assessment for a community of 1,500 to 3,000 would be around $10,000 to $15,000.

What is the longevity of pavement improvements?
That depends upon many factors including the integrity of the initial construction, soil and moisture conditions, weather and usage.  Your consultant should provide guidance for prudent annual maintenance to maximize the ilfe of your pavement improvements.

 

---

If you are interested in having AE2S perform a pavement assessment for you, or for more information please contact Roger, Mark, or Shawn at (701) 746-8089.