The Environmental Services Utility Board approved purchasing a 2013 Sakai vibrating double‑drum roller for $28,600 and heard a street‑maintenance update on July 21.
Alderman Jones moved to approve the roller purchase and Alderman Olsenga seconded; the committee recorded a 7‑0 vote in favor. Staff said the heavier vibrating roller will be used on city roads while a smaller roller will continue to support tar‑and‑chip alley work.
Mr. Lopez, the city’s street superintendent, told the committee the new milling/grinding process is gaining speed. “They did 60 ton in like 2 weeks, and now they're doing almost 60 ton a week,” Lopez said, describing the crew’s learning curve on the grinder and their manual follow‑up work. Lopez said crews are focusing on smaller patches — typically 10‑by‑20‑foot sections — and staying in a single ward for several weeks so residents see consistent progress.
Lopez also described a small project to fabricate an in‑house drag box to allow a skid steer to pull and lay asphalt more efficiently, reducing the need for manual shoveling. Staff said the tar‑and‑chip machine is being used in alleys with the smaller roller running behind it, while the larger new roller is intended for compacting ground and replaced asphalt on city streets.
Why this matters: the equipment purchase and process changes aim to increase life span of pavement repairs and reduce recurring pothole work by improving compaction and patch quality.