There are generally two techniques used to improve streets: cold planing /overlaying and reclaiming.
Cold planing/overlaying involves removal of the top one to two inches of existing pavement with a milling machine, followed by installation of new pavement. Reclaiming involves in-place crushing and recycling of underlying asphalt and gravel road base, which is then graded and compacted to form the foundation for new pavement.
The City Council has adopted a paving program that is annually increasing the amount of funding dedicated to improving the streets. The proposed budget meets the funding outlined in the plan.
Cold plane overlays for the proposed FY20 budget include:
Reclaim includes:
Ridge Road - full length
Maintenance overlays (essentially putting the finish course in place for more recently paved roads to increase the lifespan of the investment) include:
Blake Street - full length
Borough Road - River to Blueberry
Broad Cove Drive - full length
Downing Street - full length
Forest Street - Auburn to Ridge
Liberty Street - Centre to Pleasant
Norwich Street - Clinton to Wilson
Pine Street - full length
Pleasant Street - Rum Hill to Langley Parkway
Thayer Pond Road - full length
Washington Street - full length
Pavement preservation, drainage repairs, and emergency overlays are also in this budget item. Total amount allocated: $2,050,000. While this amount is significant, it will not result in the overall improved conditions that the City Council would like to see. Increasing paving costs and detrimental winter/spring conditions pose some challenges.
The City Manager is proposing a supplemental $1,000,000 be appropriated for additional paving this fiscal year, without impacting the tax rate or increasing long-term debt. Funds would come from a reserve account associated with Consolidated Communications (formerly Fairpoint Communications) relative to their use of the City's right-of-ways, poles, and conduit, and an associated court case in Merrimack County Superior Court. At the end of April 2019, the City entered into a settlement agreement with Consolidated Communications and funds from the reserve account may now be released.
The recommended areas for paving are as follows:
Reclaim:
Ormond Street - Loudon to Christian
Hutchins Street - N. State to to the Water Treatment Plant
Sylvester Street - full length
Cold plane overlays:
Penacook Street - Rumford to Bradley
Shawmut Street - full length
Sewalls Falls Road - Second to Abbot
Horse Hill Road - Runnells to 3,000' westerly
Shaker Road - Snow Pond to Hoit
Hutchins Street - sections from Water Treatment Plant to West Parish
If City Council approves this proposal, it would increase the amount of spending on road improvements by 50 percent, add an additional four miles of paving, and have no impact on the tax rate or bonded debt.
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