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Glynn County staff and industry urge a shift to pavement‑preservation to stretch road dollars
Summary
Staff reported Glynn County's pavement condition index averages 81 and outlined preservation techniques — chip seal, slurry, microsurfacing and rejuvenation — that they said could extend pavement life and lower long‑term costs. Industry presenters argued preservation programs can cover many more lane miles per dollar than repeated overlays; commissioners expressed support for piloting preservation.
County staff and a pavement‑materials representative on Tuesday urged Glynn County commissioners to adopt a pavement‑preservation approach they say will extend pavement life and stretch limited road funding.
Assistant County Manager Danny Smith presented the county's first PCI (pavement condition index) study, reporting an overall network score of 81 out of 100 and 493.35 center‑line miles under county maintenance. Smith described preservation treatments — chip seal, slurry seal, microsurfacing and asphalt rejuvenation — that are intended to be applied earlier in a pavement's lifecycle to slow deterioration and avoid costly overlays.
"Pavement preservation is utilized to extend the life of a pavement, obtain a better return on investment, and limit disruption to residents," Smith said, adding that preservation treatments can often be applied in a one‑day operation and do not raise road profiles as overlays do.
Chris Dukes, area sales manager for Ergon Asphalt and Emulsions, presented comparative cost examples and case studies, showing preservation bids can be a fraction of overlay costs while adding network service life. Dukes showed examples where a preservation approach allowed agencies to stretch a given dollar to treat substantially more lane miles and cited county and neighboring examples where preservation programs extended pavement service life effectively.
Smith and Dukes emphasized correct treatment selection and timing: preservation is appropriate where the base is sound (PCI generally above preservation thresholds); roads with base failure require milling and resurfacing. They also noted the need to manage resident expectations — preservation products can look like new asphalt but are not equivalent to a full resurfacing.
Several commissioners praised moving from reactive resurfacing toward proactive management and asked staff to pilot preservation methods, noting the county's LMIG (local maintenance and improvement grant) program may be an eligible funding source. Staff said they will incorporate preservation into pavement management planning and pilot projects where appropriate.
