Rowlett to test in‑house asphalt reclamation on Castle Drive starting July 10

Unidentified Speaker 2, representing Rowlett Public Works, presented an in‑house asphalt rehabilitation pilot to the council on July 1 and said Castle Drive will be the pilot project.

The project scope: Castle Drive work will begin at the city limits and extend roughly 300 feet southwest of Merritt Road, use full‑depth reclamation (not a thin overlay), include striping and signage, and is estimated to take about four weeks beginning July 10. The department estimated the pilot materials and rented‑equipment cost at about $200,000.

Why it matters: The pilot is intended to test whether in‑house crews can perform full‑depth reclamation more cost‑effectively and with greater schedule control than outside contractors. Council members noted prior success with in‑house concrete panel replacement and said in‑house asphalt capability could allow longer life for roads compared with overlays.

Performance metrics and staffing: Staff said success will be judged on time and budget and qualitative measures (crew performance and comfort with the new work). Equipment renters will provide 2–3 days of training; if the pilot is successful, staff proposed expanding the program and potentially funding up to five additional crew positions. For Castle Drive specifically, Unidentified Speaker 3 estimated potential savings between $150,000 and $200,000 compared with contracted work.

Next steps: The pilot will proceed as presented; council encouraged staff to gather data on costs, schedule and outcomes and return with evaluation results to inform any decision about buying equipment or adding permanent staff.