City to start repaving projects next week
Published 3:32 pm Tuesday, May 3, 2011
The weather may not say spring yet, but a sure sign it has arrived is when the City of Redmond kicks the Pavement Management Program into full gear. Starting the week of May 9, crews will begin pavement resurfacing work in several locations around the city.
The city maintains 143 miles of pavement and resurfaces an average of three miles a year at an average cost of $300,000 per mile. During the repaving this year, the city will also upgrade the storm system, adjust sinking storm and sewer manhole covers on Redmond Way (SR 202) between 188th Avenue Northeast and East Lake Sammamish Parkway, re-channel Avondale Way and remove the railroad tracks and rubberized railroad crossing at the intersection of Northeast 90th Street and Willows Road. Sidewalks ramps will also be upgraded before resurfacing to bring them into compliance with the latest ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards.
Redmond residents will be alerted to neighborhood street resurfacing with a general letter, but should watch for and respect the “No Parking” signs when they appear. Once they are installed, work is about to begin.
Resurfacing is done in four phases. Improvements to sidewalk ramps, curbs and storm drains are performed first followed by grinding and repairing the existing asphalt surface. Phase three puts down the new hot asphalt overlay, which must cool off and harden for about two hours before the street can be opened to traffic again.
Phase four can be puzzling to most observers. To achieve a smooth surface, the paving machine must run in a continuous and uninterrupted path. Manholes and valves are paved over and then must be cut out and raised to street level. It might appear something’s gone wrong when brand new pavement is cut and patched, but it is normal resurfacing work in progress.
Check the City of Redmond’s website at www.redmond.gov/PavementResurfacing for a location map of streets being resurfaced this year.
For more information about resurfacing in Redmond, contact Mel Peifer, Pavement Management Program Manager, at mpeifer@redmond.gov or (425)-556-2817. For up-to-date information about this year’s paving schedule, contact Marilee Crivello at mcrivello@redmond.gov or (425)-556-2711.
