Pavement Maintenance: Coming Soon to a Street Near You

Our street engineering team is responsible for identifying the Pavement Management Program(PMP) projects we complete each year. The team plans out the work schedule and manages the maintenance contracts for all the crews working around the City. We sat down with them recently to hear why pavement maintenance is a top priority at the City.

Roadway Section Manager, Sheri Markwardt, P.E., leads the team responsible for identifying the Pavement Management Program(PMP) projects each year and managing the maintenance contracts. We sat down with Sheri, who joined the City in the fall of 2023, to hear why pavement maintenance continues to be a top priority at the City, how much roadway will be repaired this summer, which major roadways will be repaired, what types of repairs that are planned, how we are communicating with community members about this work, and how this program is funded.

Why is pavement maintenance important?

Keeping up with road maintenance saves the City money in the long run. Its kind of like painting the siding on your house. Yes, it costs money to do that maintenance, but it is cheaper than replacing your siding. It is the same with roads. It takes time and budget to maintain our roads, but rebuilding a failing road can cost four to five times more than standard preventative maintenance. Our roads also last about 50% longer since we put in the time to keep them up.

How much roadway will be repaired this summer?

Our Pavement Management Program staff and contractors will be maintaining approximately 15 miles of City roads this summer. Work will be occurring on major roadways and neighborhood streets throughout the City.

Which major roadways are being worked on this summer?

Higher traffic volume streets that will be maintained this summer include NE Jackson Street, A, and B. Several additional improvements within the City limits are also being funded this year by PMP.

These projects may cause up to 20 minute traffic delays. We plans to place reader boards along the roadways and post social media before work begins. Follow the City of Hillsboro on Twitter or like us on Facebook to receive timely information about these major roadway repair projects.

Can you tell us more about the types of repairs that are planned?

Our plan is to complete four types of repairs this summer - crack seals, slurry seals, overlays, and small asphalt or concrete patch repairs.

• Slurry seal is a protective layer of very small crushed rock and liquid asphalt cement placed over the whole surface of a roadway.
• An overlay - or repaving - is when the top layer of a roadway is removed and replaced with new pavement.
• A crack seal is when we fill cracks in a road surface with hot sealant. This helps to keep water from getting into the cracks and damaging the road.
• Small asphalt or concrete patch repairs are when staff fill small damaged sections of roadway.

Our PMP webpage has a map of the roadways scheduled to be repaired this summer and the type of repair those roadways will receive.

View a map of the roadways being repaired this summer.

Will residents be notified if their road is scheduled to be repaired?

Residents who live along roadways scheduled to be repaved (overlay) this summer should have received a postcard outlining what to expect during construction. Repaving projects are planned mid-May to early September.

We also be send out a postcard to households that live along roadways scheduled to be sealed this summer. Seals are planned to start in early July and be completed by early September. The postcard includes key information and our contact information in case residents have questions.

Visit the Pavement Management Program webpage for a list of frequently asked questions.

When will a resident know the construction date for their roadway?

Residents will be notified of the exact date of the road work 36-72 hours before work starts. At this time, the City cannot provide an exact date of the work because it is weather dependent and the schedule changes throughout the summer in response to weather delays.

How is the Pavement Management Program funded?

This program is primarily funded through the Transportation Utility Fee (TUF). Gas tax, vehicle registration fees, Hillsboro's general fund, and a variety of other smaller funding sources make up the remaining portion of PMP budget. The TUF provides a stable funding source for Hillsboro, and allows the City to continue providing this essential service.