Public services outlines stone‑seal and crack‑seal schedule; town delays stone due to quarry supply

Rich Berman, Director of Public Services, briefed the council on the town’s pavement management program on June 23 and explained the difference between pavement preservation (crack seal and stone seal) and full reconstruction.

Berman said the town budgets about $700,000 a year for repaving and roughly $270,000–$280,000 for stone seal and crack seal, typically procured on a two‑year contract for better pricing. He said crack sealing is a preventive measure that can be applied several times over decades to prolong the life of a roadway and is far less expensive per mile than full repaving.

Berman told the council the stone‑seal contract scheduled for June had to be delayed about a month because the quarry supplying the stone could not immediately deliver; the town will re‑advertise the contract and expects work to start later in July. Staff will send door hangers, publish notices in local media and use social media to notify residents; Berman said crews will also knock on doors before crews arrive and crews are flexible in moving to nearby streets if parked vehicles block operations.

Councilors raised questions about specific roads (Shannock Road, Gravelly Hill Road, Tuckertown Road). Berman explained those roads’ schedules: Shannock Road is slated for stone seal this season, Gravelly Hill is slated for repaving next year, and Tuckertown received recent repaving and will be stone sealed in a coming season. Berman emphasized that stone sealing is a pavement‑management choice intended to minimize lifecycle costs despite short‑term inconveniences such as loose stone on newly sealed surfaces.

Berman said the town will supplement mailed notices with door hangers and online postings and that he will work with the manager to provide additional targeted date notices to residents in affected neighborhoods.