Where the Rubber Hits the Road: INSIDE THE PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Who would have thought that pavement management is a data-driven process? The Town of Danville uses engineering expertise and analytic software to determine when, how, and where to conduct pavement maintenance. To make best use of the $3 million average annual investment in Town-maintained roads, Town staff analyze pavement conditions based on a number of factors, including age, number of nearby streets receiving the same treatment, future construction or utility improvements within the coming three years, traffic loads, and available funding. With soaring construction costs and heavy storms, Town staff are working harder to stretch every pavement dollar.

The Pavement Management Program is part of the Town Capital Improvement Program. To manage the program, the Town uses the standard measure of pavement quality called the Pavement Conditions Index (PCI) to rate our roads. On a simple 100-point scale, a new road has a PCI of 100, and the Town Council has adopted a minimum average target of 70 for all Town roads. Even as an established municipality with older pavement, Danville maintains roads to a higher PCI than is average across the Bay Area.

In fiscal year 2022–23, the Town completed pavement maintenance projects on nearly 50 roadways in Danville — in addition to ongoing street maintenance such as pothole repair. Pavement maintenance options vary in cost and complexity. Typically roads are treated with slurry seal, consisting of crushed gravel, asphalt and water, which cures in a few hours when the weather is warm.

Ma I Ntenance Roundup Summer 2023

Work on our parks is a year-round commitment, and the Town Maintenance Services team has been working on a few improvements to help you enjoy our local parks.

Sycamore Valley Park: Approximately 225,000 square feet of synthetic turf is being replaced, in an area used for a variety of sports. Project is expected to be complete by the beginning of August.

Oak Hill Park:

The new playground will be completed in late summer. The project replaces 20-year-old equipment with new and exciting features, including accessible and interactive elements.

Slurry seal helps maintain roads in aboveaverage condition, and is applied every 5 years. After about 15 years of slurry seal maintenance, roads can no longer be treated with this method, but are still drivable. Once the road gets closer to 30 years old, it becomes a candidate for replacement. The road is still safe and drivable during this time, but may show signs of wear.

Another cost-effective treatment for roads is rubberized cape seal, a good combination of durability, longevity, and cost. This option may cause some debris for a few weeks while it settles, but provides a more durable surface than slurry seal at a lower cost than asphalt replacement. The combination of approaches keeps Town roads and the Town budget healthy.

The recent Camino Ramon project involves removing the top layers of asphalt and replacing them completely. This is an expensive and longlasting option reserved for roads that have been successfully maintained over time and can no longer be treated with slurry seal effectively.

There are nearly 100 roadways under consideration for pavement maintenance in fiscal year 2023–24. Streets will be selected for maintenance projects based on the PCI score, visual inspection, location, and treatment type (slurry seal, rubberized cape seal, or replacement). Updates on roadwork will be shared on the Town’s website and social media channels. You can read more about the Capital Improvement Program and Pavement Management Program in the Town’s adopted budget, available at www.danville.ca.gov/budget.