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Lower Frederick supervisors weigh $245,600 bid to repair long-deteriorated Ziggler Road, debate use of ARPA funds
Summary
Engineers recommended base repairs on Ziggler Road after decades without major paving; the low bid for base work is $245,600 (with an Option A bringing the combined low to $256,750). Supervisors debated using ARPA funds now versus rejecting and rebidding next year to pursue a larger mill-and-resurface project.
Carol, the township presenter on the Ziggler Road project, told the Board of Supervisors the roadway is "just short of a mile" and has extensive base failure after decades without full resurfacing. She described pavement failure modes and said core samples show three to four inches of asphalt over aggregate, requiring base repair rather than only a surface treatment.
The project advertised for base repair drew a low base bid of $245,600 from Sax and Sons; adding an Option A (additional patching work on nearby locations) raised the combined low to $256,750. Carol said the recommended approach this year is to mill out failed sections, recompact and rebuild the base, then return in a future year for a wearing course. "When we get to base failure now we're talking about base repair," she said, noting that a full mill-and-overlay later would be more costly if deferral continues.
Staff recommended funding the work with $150,000 from liquid fuels funds plus either a modest general-fund transfer and ARPA money or taking the full difference from ARPA. Board members pressed on trade-offs: one supervisor said ARPA funds must be "committed by the end of this year and spent by the end of 2026," and warned that deferring the project risks higher construction costs and additional pothole patching labor next season.
Several residents urged more comprehensive work or a delayed two-stage plan. One long-time resident described the road as needing repaving for 25 years and urged caution around a nearby Old Stone Arch Bridge that may not meet modern standards; another warned the board that milling only localized patches now could lead to removing still-serviceable asphalt in a later full-mill, increasing waste and cost.
Board members and staff agreed the next formal vote on accepting or rejecting the bid will occur at the board's next regular meeting after staff supplies additional details on budget impacts and potential consequences for other projects that might be delayed if ARPA funds are used for Ziggler Road.
The township manager and project lead said design work for unrelated future sewer connections that touch portions of Ziggler Road has not yet begun and that sewer funding is not currently available. That separation — sewer versus pavement funding and schedule — was emphasized repeatedly during discussion.
Next steps: the board will receive a short financial analysis and a recommended motion at the next meeting; no binding contract was awarded at the work session.
