Council approves $1.19 million contract extension for roadway rehabilitation; public works details data-driven prioritization

The East Greenwich Town Council voted 5-0 to approve a $1,189,775 contract extension with T Myozzi of North Kingstown for roadway rehabilitation, drawing on the remaining balance of a previously authorized $4 million road bond.

Public Works Director Fred Gomes told the council the town has adopted a pavement-assessment database that rates segments of every town road. The database ranks pavement condition and helps prioritize work. Gomes said the town used a mix of full reconstruction and alternative rehabilitation methods, including rubber chip seal, to extend pavement life at lower cost; he cited Tillinghast Road as an example where a rubber chip seal extended useful life 12–15 years at about one-third the cost of full reconstruction.

Gomes said the original $4 million bond was estimated to cover three years of work; roughly $2.8 million had been expended and the extension will use the remaining bond proceeds. He said state aid is expected to contribute roughly $140,000 this year. Gomes said the townwide pavement score was about 70 (on a 1–100 scale) when first measured and has risen to the high 70s after recent work; the goal is to reach an 80 score.

Gomes described efforts to coordinate with utilities to avoid repaving streets where utilities need to do work, to group projects by neighborhood to avoid remobilization costs, and to pursue preventative maintenance to reduce future bonding needs.

Council members praised the data-driven approach and noted that the town will continue exploring annual pay-as-you-go funding for preventative maintenance. A motion to approve the contract extension carried 5-0.