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City engineer outlines pavement management, dig‑once approach and state paving plans
Summary
City Engineer Jake Carroll told the committee the engineering department is building a pavement‑management program that integrates underground utilities, GIS asset management and a new consultant’s rating matrix; he flagged state‑led paving on Boston/Lafayette streets and a Willow sewer relocation in the capital plan.
Jake Carroll, Salem’s city engineer, briefed the committee on June 3 on the engineering department’s role and priorities, describing a 12‑employee unit that oversees permitting, pavement management, water and sewer asset data, and coordination of state and federally funded projects.
Carroll said the department has issued roughly 390 permits and 40 drain‑layer licenses in the past year, conducted about 1,700 backflow tests, paved about 1.5 miles of streets and reconstructed just under a mile of sidewalks. He described a new pavement‑management program that uses a road‑surface rating and a consolidated database of underground asset information (water mains, sewer, gas) so the city can prioritize repaving where utility work is complete — a practical “dig‑once” approach to reduce repeated street openings.
Councilors asked about coordination with utilities (National Grid) to avoid freshly paved streets being re‑trenched; Carroll said the city holds annual coordination meetings and is developing clearer, public pavement plans via its consultant. He also discussed meter reading issues and MIU (meter interface unit) rollout, acoustic leak‑detection surveys and targeted sensor deployments to find small leaks before they become major breaks.
Carroll flagged a few near‑term, higher‑impact projects: expected state paving on Lafayette/Boston Street corridors and a pump‑station project that requires easements and utility work; he also noted the Willow A sewer relocation listed in the capital program as a priority for environmental protection.
What’s next: Engineering will continue work with the pavement consultant to publish methodology and maps and will coordinate utility timelines to reduce rework and improve prioritization for capital paving.
