Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County updates Rebuild Alabama paving choices; commissioners weigh chip-seal return
Summary
Public-works staff reported progress by Rogers Group on Rebuild Alabama projects and described budget-driven swaps of roads on the list. The county engineer argued selectively reintroducing chip-seal could lower costs on low-volume roads while preserving more intensive rehabilitation for heavily damaged routes.
The commission received an update on road resurfacing and rehabilitation funded partly through Rebuild Alabama. County public-works staff reported that contractor Rogers Group has been productive, running two crews and making steady progress. Staff said some roads will be swapped on the Rebuild Alabama funding list to manage this fiscal year’s budget while still intending to complete planned paving work in the next fiscal year where necessary.
Public-works leadership explained the distinction between a typical resurface (about 1½ inches of asphalt) and a full rehabilitation, which requires a thicker binder (about 2½ inches) and higher upfront cost but longer-lasting structure. The county said it opted for full rehab on several roads this year because isolated repairs would otherwise require repeated work.
Commissioner discussion included a proposal to return selectively to in-house chip-seal operations on low-volume routes to cover more miles at lower cost. The county engineer said a stabilized base plus chip-seal wearing surface can be an effective, lower-cost option on certain road types but noted limitations when chip-seal is patched with asphalt.
Next steps: staff will continue to manage the Rebuild Alabama list with targeted swaps, evaluate candidate roads that could receive chip-seal under a mixed approach and bring recommendations to upcoming budget discussions.
