This portion of Methodist Road in Westbrook, by Cobb Farm Drive, has already seen some fresh paving. Work will continue, with line painting and curbing. Chance Viles/ American Journal
WESTBROOK — Public Services’ projects this summer include work on School Street, Union Street and Methodist Road.
The department’s list of road projects does not include those undertaken with non-city funds, such as the Stroudwater Street project, which was funded using non-capital money reserved for larger, less regular maintenance projects. Public Services each summer tackles local roads in the worst condition, according to Arty Ledoux, operations manager, while weighing in cost, possible future maintenance and any other entities’ plans for work. Road work timelines are also subject to change based on costs and weather.
This summer, School Street is a particular focus, Ledoux said.
“They will have some curbing installed, we will rebuild the walk along the (Trinity Lutheran) church and resurface the road,” Ledoux said.
School Street work is slated to start as soon as possible at a cost of about $35,000 from the capital budget.
Chesley Street, a gravel road, will see some work as well. Public Services is looking to ground the road, lower it, grade it and reapply gravel.
“The road has to be lowered because we have to make sure when we go over it, it is even with the driveways and doesn’t push water onto people’s property,” Ledoux said. “We also found clay under the road so we will have to box cut the road out, a more (expensive) process. We have to put the gravel on top of construction fabric because of the clay.”
The project is expected to cost roughly $50,000.
Union Street will also see work. Because it was already scheduled for sewer maintenance and road repairs, Ledoux asked the contractor to basically add on the rest of Union Street to the overall project. About $40,000 of that particular project is expected to come out of Public Services’ capital budget. The timeline depends on the sewer project, which is underway.
About 6,000 feet of Methodist Road, from Country Lane to Cobb Farm Road, is being worked on, with grinding and repaving, at a cost of about $375,000.
Haskell Street all the way down to Forest Street will also see some work this month, at a cost of about $110,000. The project, like others, will focus mainly on leveling the road conditions and maintaining curbing.
Project costs and timelines may change, with entire roads being swapped out, Ledoux said. Often, a road project that is a high priority for Public Services is delayed because of future projects planned for that road. If the road is scheduled to receive new pipes or a water main, for example, Ledoux often has to wait until that project is done before he has a road redone.
Vendor availability of materials and weather can play a role in holding a project off as well.
“It can be like juggling around or making it all work as a puzzle,” Ledoux said. “We try and get to a road but if Wastewater is redoing the pipes, I can’t touch it. Roads when redone often require a moratorium and can’t be worked on for five years, so I have to wait for them sometimes,” Ledoux said.
The city also is waiting on a proposal to purchase a street scanning program from the state that will help it better evaluate roads’ needs.
“I surveyed the roads and graded them. … I do the best I can, but we are excited,” Ledoux said about the new program.
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