A Whitefield committee tasked with assessing the town’s roads last year found that more than half of the 27 miles of paved roads maintained by the town are in need of substantial repair.

The committee is recommending spending nearly $400,000 on roadwork next year, more than double what was appropriated two years ago.

The report said that funding for road maintenance and paving has historically been insufficient to prevent the deterioration of the road network and only allows for repaving or resurfacing of each mile every 30 years. The goal of the increased spending is to restore the 27.2 miles of paved roads and 11.3 miles of gravel roads maintained by the town over the next 20 years in a way that meets the needs identified in the report and is affordable to the town, the report said. The survey of the roads also found that more than 60 percent of the town’s gravel roads need reconstruction.

A public hearing is set for 7 p.m. Thursday at the Whitefield Fire and Rescue Station to discuss the report, which can be found on the town’s website.

Dennis Merrill, a selectman and a member of the road committee, said the Board of Selectmen formed the committee because it noticed the condition of the town’s road system is declining. The committee consulted with the Maine Department of Transportation, officials from other towns that had recently reviewed their own roads and engineering firms. The committee also hired E.S. Coffin Engineering & Surveying, Inc. with the help of $2,000 from the Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission to review the committee’s work, examine roads and recommend repair options.

Merrill said the town in the past had been just addressing the worst roads instead of focusing on maintaining the whole system.

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“The trick is not to let the road get to this condition, and people agree that it’s terrible and we need to sink a lot of money in it,” he said.

Part of the plan is to check the conditions below the pavement to determine if a poor base is causing problems, Merrill said. The report also recommends constructing ditches, something that hasn’t been done on most roads, to ensure proper drainage, he said. The report said that not addressing these factors to properly move water away from the roads will mean that a paved or gravel road surface will have premature problems such as cracking, potholes and puddles.

Some of the larger capital costs will decline over time because the cheapest way to maintain a road is to keep it in good condition, Merrill said.

“The DOT’s position is keep a good road good,” he said.

The objective over a long-term planning cycle of about 20 years is to get to a stable situation where the town has no roads in poor condition and the average road meets recommendations for a good road, the report said.

Last year, the town appropriated $265,000 for roadwork, $100,000 over the previous year, according to the report. Between fiscal year 2006 and fiscal year 2013, the town’s spending on roads averaged $117,727, ranging from a low of $63,969 to a high of $168,455, according to the report.

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The state previously provided nearly $60,000 in annual support for road maintenance, but the amount fell to $46,444 in the last two years and is expected to decline further in future years, the report said.

Both the Select Board and the Budget Committee recommended appropriating the $393,850 the report requested. Residents will ultimately need to approve the request at the March 21 Town Meeting.

Town Clerk Aaron Miller said the plan creates a road map for the maintenance of the town’s roads.

“It’s a very positive step in the right direction for the community,” Miller said. “Unfortunately, it’s going to come at a cost, but we need to hold it at what they’re suggesting because you really don’t want to be doing this piecemeal.”

Paul Koenig — 621-5663

pkoenig@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @paul_koenig


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