http://thenewsherald.com/stories/04...050403020.shtml

New program fixes more roads

By Jason Alley, The News-Herald


PUBLISHED: April 3, 2005 LINCOLN PARK — By changing a philosophy that's been in place forever, city officials have paved the way for more roads to be repaired this year than in any year before.

Throughout the city's history, crumbling roads primarily have been fixed by completely rebuilding them.


Saying that's become too costly and has kept road repairs to a minimum, city officials voted unanimously Monday night to try something new.

Known in the construction industry as milling and capping, the new program calls for the damaged roads to be blasted down and capped with a fresh layer of asphalt.

While rebuilding a road gives it a life expectancy of 20 or so years and capping it is only good for 10 to 15 years, the price difference in the two makes capping the clear choice, said City Manager Steve Duchane.

Using the same amount of money — about $1.9 million — 5.1 miles of roads will get repaired this year using the new approach compared to the 1.8 miles that would have gotten done with the old method, Duchane said.

"The condition of our roads shows a clear concern for the traveling public," he said. "We need help now. The difference in cash savings and in correcting the immediate safety issues shows that this new approach is better. I think it's a good fit all the way around."

The $1.89 million being used this year comes from a roads millage passed in 2000, as well as from federal community development block grant funds.

City officials got word Monday that U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-13th District) had secured an additional $1 million in federal dollars to fix up the roads in Lincoln Park.

If that money comes through quick enough, Duchane said, it would be used this year as well, allowing for even more streets to be repaired.

Having served as Sterling Heights' longtime city manager before coming to Lincoln Park last year, Duchane said, he's quite familiar with milling and capping. Most communities no longer do a full reconstruction of their roads, he said.

"Most roads wear off on the surface," he said. "By milling off the top and recapping it with two inches of asphalt materials, the road gets fixed at a much cheaper price, which lets us stretch our dollars to fixing up additional roads in the community."

Councilman Mariano DiSanto, a licensed builder by trade, said he's been trying for years to convince his colleagues to go along with the new approach.

"It's about time," he said Monday night after the vote.

Repair schedule

Under a new program that shaves off the top of damaged roads and lays a fresh layer of asphalt on top, these Lincoln Park streets are slated for repairs this year:

•Buckingham, from Helen to Hazel

•Champaign, from Dix-Toledo to Fort

•Champaign, from Fort to Ferris

•Chandler, from Mill to Progress

•Cleophus, from Fort Park to Lafayette

•Emmons, from Wilson to Electric

•Ford, from Fort to Dix-Toledo

•Fort Park, from Southfield to Capitol

•Gregory, from Helen to Hazel

•Highland, from Fort to Wilson

•Lafayette, from Southfield to Champaign

•McClain, from Howard to Fort Park

•Michigan, from Howard to Lafayette

•Montie, from Fort to LeJeune

•Oceana, from Riopelle to Champaign

•Pagel, from Wilson to Electric

•Progress, from Champaign to Bailey

•White, from Fort to Ferris

•White, from Fort to Fort Park

These Lincoln Park intersections are slated for reconstruction this year as well:

•Abbott and Michigan

•Abbott and Myron

•Abbott and Winchester

•Electric and Pagel

•Howard and Michigan

•Howard and Myron

•Howard and Winchester

•River Drive and Emmons

•River Drive and Kings Highway

•Riverbank and Dix-Toledo — Jason Alley

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recordar la yocorazon

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While I think this is a great approach to the repair of our roads as well and agree with Duchane's statments, I thought the life expectancy was 5 to 10 years, and a "if we're lucky" 15 years.

Saying 10 to 15 when our Superintendant claimes 5 to 10 is not fair, IMO...

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The whole "5 to 10" thing perplexes me. It sounds like such an arbitrary figure.

But what it really equates to is a 100% difference in it the projection of its lifespan. Isn't there a way to hone in on a more accurate time?

8 to 10 years, perhaps? Or 5 to 7 years? 5 to 10 sounds like some round figure that some people just through out there to sound good.

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Hennessey Engineering says 15 years.

Thank you Councilman Mario DiSanto for showing us how to pave 5.1 miles of road rather than 1.8

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A Five Year Millage? Yes
A non-limited Millage? Never
Vote NO on Proposal R

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With capping this is where all the "if's" come in

If the bad obvious bad spots are cut out and fixed properly first there is no reason these capped roads shouldn't last 10 to 15 years.

"Fact"

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Old Method:


$1,055,555 per mile with a 20 year lifespan.


Total cost to pave 5.1 miles of road fo a 20 year lifespan: $5.4 million.


New Method:

$372,549 per mile with a 5 to 15 year lifespan.

5 year lifespan: Road must be repaved 3 times during the lifespan of the old method for a grand total of $1,490,196 per mile (including the cost of the first pave). Total cost of paving 5.1 miles of road for a 20 year lifespan: $7.6 million.

10-15 year lifespan: Road must be repaved one additonal time during the lifespan of the old method for a grand total of $745,098 per mile (including the cost of the first pave). Total cost of paving 5.1 miles of road for a 20 year lifespan: $3.8 million

Breakeven Point:

If we have to repave these roads more than 2 times during any 20 year period...we are "losing" money on the deal. You must factor in the cost of the first pave ($1.9 million). If you factor in two additional paves ($3.8 million), it puts your total cost about $5.7 million.

This means we need to ensure our roads last almost 7 years under the new method. If we are having to repave any sooner than 7 years, we would have been better off with the old method.


But you must also consider the situation the roads are currently in, as well as our ability to repave them. As it stands, we really don't have a choice...we need to get as many done as possible. We don't have the money to do as many as we need to, so it is neccessary to seek out less expensive alternatives.

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That's what I've been eluding to all along VS. The taxpayer gets less bang for their buck in the long term. All the taxpayer gains is a couple of years of smoother road.
As Cherub said, there are alot of if's.
If the road is not heavily traveled it might last.
If an over loaded truck or two doesn't drive down the road on a hot day, and doesn't cut years off the life expectancy.
While I am no engineer, my experience living on two roads that have been capped has shown me they are lucky to last five.years. And that happened on both of them. I think it was a short-term fix for a long term problem that will wind up costing the taxpayers more money in the end.

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While there may not be 18 wheeler semi's going down our streets, there are Uhauls, UPS trucks, Furniture movers, School Busses, Garbage Haulers, etc.

I know many of the potholed roads, such as Champaign and fort park, the potholes are deeper than 2 inches.

I just hope that all these things and what VS has factored in have been fully considered. Otherwise it is a temporary aesthetic issue that will last passed this election period and just after the next one.

I'd like them to do a full analsys on the "iffy" roads. Ones that are pretty fair to begin with I am fine with them starting this meathod. But the other ones should have some research and analysis done...otherwise we're spending considerably more money.

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Yes Sir Ree Buddy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You Can Tell It Is An Election Year. Sssssssssssssssssllllllllllllllluuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrpppppppppppp.and In 5 Years When The Shame Is Gone And Our Roads Are Worse Than They Are Now Who Gets The Blame.classic Example Of Throwing Good Money After Bad.

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Moral freedom is not the right to do what we want,but the power to do what we ought.

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My only thing is this: Throwing out a figure like "5 to 10" years is so arbitrary. It's synonymous to saying "20 to 40" or "50 to 100". It's a 100% difference in the life expectancy.

If it lasts anything less than 7 years, it is costing us money in the long run.

If it makes 7 years or more, then there is no difference (save for the inconvenience of closing the roads every several years for repairs).

But then again...I have to play the Devils Advocate: Something needs to be done and it needs to be done now. We really can't afford to "do the job right"...so this less expensive "fix" is really our only option.

What I would hope, though, is that a careful eye is kept on these roads over the next 5 to 7 years. If they begin to show signs of premature aging...then I would think it would be in the city's best interest to begin IMMEDIATELY setting aside funds for a "proper" fix.

To reiterate, I support this measure...albeit reluctantly. But my support doesn't mean I think we should just do it and wash our hands of it. I think we need to monitor it and make adjustments to our future planning to avert any possible repeat failures.

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I couldn't agree more with your last two replies Veritas

Especially your comment in your second from last reply in the very last paragraph

Nicely put

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[QUOTE=DonDiego]http://thenewsherald.com/stories/04...050403020.shtml


Known in the construction industry as milling and capping, the new program calls for the damaged roads to be blasted down and capped with a fresh layer of asphalt.

While rebuilding a road gives it a life expectancy of 20 or so years and capping it is only good for 10 to 15 years, the price difference in the two makes capping the clear choice, said City Manager Steve Duchane.

Using the same amount of money — about $1.9 million — 5.1 miles of roads will get repaired this year using the new approach compared to the 1.8 miles that would have gotten done with the old method, Duchane said.

"The condition of our roads shows a clear concern for the traveling public," he said. "We need help now. The difference in cash savings and in correcting the immediate safety issues shows that this new approach is better. I think it's a good fit all the way around."

If that money comes through quick enough, Duchane said, it would be used this year as well, allowing for even more streets to be repaired.

Having served as Sterling Heights' longtime city manager before coming to Lincoln Park last year, Duchane said, he's quite familiar with milling and capping. Most communities no longer do a full reconstruction of their roads, he said.

"Most roads wear off on the surface," he said. "By milling off the top and recapping it with two inches of asphalt materials, the road gets fixed at a much cheaper price, which lets us stretch our dollars to fixing up additional roads in the community."

Hmmm, well I guess with Steve's experience in SH, he should know about milling and recap. OH, by the way, here is a road in SH that was recapped. Note what one owner had to say about the condition of it over the last 5 years-----------while Steve was city manager.

Sterling Heights resident Laura Willemain lives on the crumbling Plumbrook Street, which an advisory panel designated the city's No. 1 project under the grant program for 2005-06.



Macomb cities make grant plans

Sterling Hts. panel decides city should do low-income home fixes and road repairs.

By Gene Schabath / The Detroit News

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STERLING HEIGHTS -- Plumbrook Sreet is not the worst road in Sterling Heights, but it's going to get a $334,000 face-lift this year thanks to the federal government's community development block grant program.

That's welcome news for people like Laura Willemain. Not only is Willemain a motorist who uses the short strip of Plumbrook, between Van Dyke and 17 Mile, she also lives on the crumbling road.

"It's worse in front of my house," Willemain said. "There are big chunks of the road on my front lawn, and when it rains or the snow melts, there's a big lake in my driveway. That's because the road doesn't drain right and the curbs are gone."

Communities across the region that have been approved for grants will get their money this summer. Sterling Heights is among the Macomb communities that already have made plans for the money.

An advisory committee of residents appointed by the Sterling Heights City Council agreed with Willemain that Plumbrook is in bad shape. They designated the repaving of Plumbrook as the No. 1 project under the grant program for 2005-06.

Sterling Heights will receive $781,000 this year, $46,000 less than in 2004 because of across-the-board cutbacks by the federal government, said Denice Gerstenberg, public service manager for the city.

The city also will spend $89,000 to repave another bad road -- Count Court in the 18 Mile-Ryan area -- and use another $110,000 for low-income home repairs.

Count Court is so deteriorated that large chunks of pavement heaved a foot above ground, making it dangerous for motorists to use the street. But city work crews removed the chunks and filled in the holes with cold patches that will serve as a stop-gap repair until the street is repaved, probably this fall.

"The street is pretty bad," said Stacy Jarvis, 29, who has lived on Count Court for five years. "We've sold our house, and the new homeowners said, 'This is really bad.'"

Gerstenberg said the city cannot use the federal funds for all road repairs.

"The area has to meet income requirements," Gerstenberg said. "They take census data for the whole area and if it is declared low income, they qualify for the funds."

Funds can be used for road repairs if 51 percent of the neighborhood has low or moderate incomes, said Rose Furlong, assistant planning director for Warren. Low income is a family of two earning less than $27,956 and moderate income is a family of two earning less than $44,956.

The top road project this year for Warren under the block grant program is the re-paving of Federal Street, located east of Van Dyke, from Eight Mile to 8 1/2 Mile. This small stretch of road is one of the worst in the city, Furlong said.

"It's all potholes," Furlong said. "Some of Federal is dirt, and some is asphalt."

The cost of repairing Federal has been estimated at $350,000.

Warren will receive $990,000 this year in block grant funds, a $200,000 drop for 2004.

The biggest share of the funds, $470,000, will be used for home repairs for low- and moderate-income families.

Money paid back to the city amounts to about $400,000 a year, and that is added to yearly grant money to give Warren $800,000 to loan out for more home repairs.

"But there's a two-year waiting list," Furlong said. "There are 200 people on the list. Where else can you get a loan with no interest or low interest rate?"

Another major expenditure is $250,000 for handicap curb cuts in an area around 14 Mile, Interstate 696, Van Dyke and Hayes. This is the last area in the city that will have the curb cuts constructed, Furlong said.

This area doesn't qualify under low- and moderate-income guidelines, but it meets federal requirements under national handicap guidelines, she said.

The last major outlay will be $100,000 for the city's housing code enforcement program, Furlong said.

In Chesterfield Township, the largest chunk of grant money will go the Chesterfield Seniors Department for expansion of the center at the township complex on Sugarbush.

Township Supervisor Jim Ellis has recommended that $79,142 of the township's $87,142 block grant go to the seniors. The board will vote on Ellis' recommendation Monday.

Shelby Township will hold a public hearing Tuesday on its $147,000 block grant budget for the coming year. Shelby received $190,000 last year.

The major projects last year were $70,000 for sidewalk construction at Schoenherr and 22 Mile, $50,000 for water main work on West Utica Road and $23,000 for the Decker Drain, said Shelby Township Supervisor Ralph Maccarone.

The township board will vote on this year's expenditures at the April 19 meeting.

You can reach Gene Schabath at (586) 468-3614 or .


http://www.detnews.com/2005/macomb/.../C05-133237.htm

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"The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help."

- Ronald Reagan

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They couldn't go 2 more streets down Fort Park and do my house too.

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Arctic Cat Thundercat Test Pilot

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It's been said that there's too much of a difference in how long a road may last

Well, there's good reason for this

The reason for this is the interesting weather we get here in this state

Weather conditions play a huge role in how long a road will last

Not to mention the amount of salt used during a given winter and the wear a tear from snow plows

All factors mentioned are the reasons there's a gulf in the estimate of years of life a capped road (or any road) will have

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Someone make sure this thread is still available in 5 to 7 years.

I'm curious to see what the future holds. This thread will serve as a sort of time capsule.

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Well put V.S. If the past is a precursor to the future, I would say LP residents are in for an eye opener with Duchane.

Here is yet another article on Duchane and his so-called experience in road repair. Yep, the city of SH was sued on this one as well for Duchane's FALSE COMMENTS, funny how that 31 million figure keeps following Duchane around. (TO THE LP COUNCIL, DON'T BELIEVE ME, ASK DUCHANE .)
By the way, the city settled out of court on this one to. This was all Duchane's doing, the masterful, experienced road repairman.

Sterling Heights gives contractor deadline
John Carlo Co. faces possible lawsuits damage to homes

By Gene Schabath / The Detroit News


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STERLING HEIGHTS -- The John Carlo Inc. construction company has been given 2 1/2 weeks by the city manager to finish repaving Clinton River Road.
"Correcting the construction problem is the big push right now, even if it means having a different contractor take over," City Manager Steve Duchane said. "I'm withholding payments until it's finished."
Duchane urged residents to contact the firm for reimbursement if they have soiled carpet, furniture or other property damage linked to a tar-like residue from the road repaving.
Duchane announced the decision at this week's City Council meeting.
The oily substance has coated homes, shrubs and trees in the Clinton River Road area from Van Dyke to 19 Mile.
"What a catastrophe," Duchane said. "What upsets me is that since 1987, we have done $31 million in road projects. We have had a very aggressive road program. And then we have this. This is ridiculous."
Workers did not apply chloride or water properly when they ground the top layer of old asphalt, Duchane said. The $1.5 million resurfacing project started in August and was expected to be concluded in September.
But the contract calls for the entire project -- the cleanup and restoration as well as the resurfacing -- to be finished by Oct. 15.
"That's the deadline," Duchane said. "That includes not just the resurfacing but also all cleanup and restoration. The resurfacing phase should have been done by now."
Ellin Callahan, spokeswoman for the contractor, said the work will be done on time.
"John Carlo has every intention fo finishing the project by the contract deadline," Callahan said. "And John Carlo will perform the work like we have for 45 years --- high quality, safe and to minimize the inconvenience to the community."
Duchane publicly blamed the delay on the contractor not having enough workers and a disorderly approach to finishing the job.
Callahan declined to comment on that aspect of the work.
"I'm thrilled that it's finally going to get done," said Joe Wagner, a Clinton River Road property owner who mobilized his neighbors to get something done about the oily film problem.

You can reach Gene Schabath at (586) 468-3614 or

http://www.detnews.com/2002/macomb/.../d05-598321.htm

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The contract stipulated the work was to be completed by October 15th. The contractor was optimistic that they would be done in September. Unfortunately, they weren't done in September...but they still maintained their commitment to being done by the contractual deadline.

So what does Duchane do?

This disgusts me. As retrobution for not being as far along on the project as Duchane would have liked (without regard to what the contract stipulated), he lobbied the citizens to sue the contractor?! Are you kidding me?!

That is an egotistical abuse of power.

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Hey Jakesnake you forgot the biggest Duchane road disaster of all the

SinkHole!!!!!
Remember this is the guy who named a street after himself!!!

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Bump.

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This is the same road capping program that the council approved Monday. Mayor Brown quickly rattled off what interesections are getting fixed this year. I got that the cost is like $1 million, but I didn't catch what streets are set to get fixed. Did any of you write em down?

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