As state and other project demands on the low bidder for Newtown’s 2019 road maintenance work begins to lessen, local Public Works Director Fred Hurley has been able to plan for the bulk of work being planned through the end of the 2019 paving season.

Mr Hurley told The Newtown Bee this week that Tilcon, a New Britain based contractor for state, local, and private paving, has indicated its crews will be working on seven planned road milling beginning September 9, and subsequent paving will begin September 16.

In sequence, and to the best of Mr Hurley’s ability to coordinate, work should begin on Great Ring Road and Arrowhead Lane, parts of Walnut Tree Hill Road, sections of Hanover Road, Currituck Road, Great Hill Road, and Poverty Hollow Road.

“If everything works out as planned, that work should be finished by the end of September,” the Public Works chief said. “This is just one of the contract projects we have scheduled, however. Before this work begins, we have basin tops to raise, so we are using our crews and contractors doing that now and until Tilcon begins.”

Mr Hurley said in the next few weeks, over 160 basins need to be raised for the subsequent road paving to be completed.

“So we’re on a rush now to get that work completed in time for milling to begin September 9,” he said. “Then we have to adjust the basins on roads that are just getting overlay [versus milling and paving]. We’re in the process of lining up our contractors for that phase now.”

While it may cause some brief travel delays in certain areas, Mr Hurley said multiple contractors beside those from Tilcon “will be fanning out across town paving at the same time, as well as town crews doing some additional patch paving as well.”

Mr Hurley said a “substantial drainage project” on Mt Nebo Road will commence before the winter, with paving to be completed in the spring. A similar project is slated for Birch Hill Road.

“We were planning on just paving up there, but our Town Engineer Ron Bolmer discovered drainage issues where the metal pipe is and will continue failing — that came to our attention due to a series of sink holes, which made it clear that pipe was failing,” he said.

The Public Works chief said that if both of those major drainage projects can be completed before winter weather sets in, they will be ready for repaving before the end of the fiscal year next June, within the existing 2019-20 road maintenance plan.

Mr Hurley explained that “Newtown is held somewhat captive” as far as when contractors can be pressed into service, particularly large state and regional firms like Tilcon, which contract and prioritize multiple crews on large state road, highway, and construction projects.

On the other hand, Mr Hurley said, Newtown drivers have benefited from the bulk of state road work happening in town since the spring.

“The negative is, the state has been monopolizing all of the large contractors for paving, so in a way, we’ve had to stand in line waiting for Tilcon to come in beginning September 9,” he said. “While I don’t have a commitment from our other contractor, if I could get them started in August, I will. But we could also be waiting into October, it all depends on when they can get here.”

Mr Hurley said the ideal scenario is to have any drainage work settle through a winter cycle before paving, when and if schedules permit.

“It’s all dependent on weather, and when contractors can get in and do the work,” Mr Hurley said. “It’s mostly a case of availability. We’ll have a better handle on what roads will be completed this year just after Labor Day.”

He said that while crews might be available to do reclaiming or milling, tearing up a road and then leaving it unpaved for weeks is “intolerable” for drivers and residents, so the fine choreography of timing among all contractors is essential.

“The mission here is trying to shrink the time between the milling or reclaiming, and the paving. You want to have as narrow a gap of time there as possible,” he said. “But there are a limited number of contractors and everyone wants their roads done in the summer. What adds to the challenge is needing to follow the procurement rules regarding the lowest bidder available.”

Mr Hurley said Newtown additionally benefits from state pricing on virtually all materials being used, which can mean additional tax dollars either saved or stretched to cover more projects.

He added that paving slated this season on other areas of Mt Nebo Road beyond the zone around the planned drainage project, and Mile Hill South have already been completed.