NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
The results of an annual pavement network evaluation for 2011 show nearly half of all Metro's roads are below standard and considered in poor condition.
"All of these roads don't need to be repaved. They just need to be repaired in some kind of a way," Don Reid, Metro Public Works paving manager, told Nashville's News 2.
As paving manger, Reid is responsible for 5,700 lane miles in Davidson County.
He knows the potholes and uneven pavement didn't happen overnight.
"Now that the waters have settled from the flood, all of the snow over the last years... we've gotten more snow over the last two years than we normally get so those freeze-thaw cycles have come into effect and what we're seeing is that top layer of our roadway surface starting to peel," he explained.
According to Reid, road work is a year-round job for Metro. Crews use hot mix in the summer and cold mix in the winter because asphalt plants shut down during the winter months.
Regardless of the time of the year, there are several options for road repairs.
Reid said, "We can go in and heat up that top layer and put in new mix, roll it in like a brand new patch and its good for at least three to five years."
Most Metro roads can be fixed with a little patch work. Others like Spence Lane qualify for repaving. Work trucks, however, won't roll out until money is available for repairs.
Metro Public Works' current annual budget is roughly $20 million. Of that, $3.5 million would cover the cost to repair the recent increase in potholes.
The department works on a five-year plan and continuously adds and prioritizes roads based on damage and budget.
For Reid and his crews, work is already underway.
"We're ramping up our pavement preservation program. We'll be doing more infrared repair. We'll be doing more crack sealing repair to help get those numbers back under control,' he said.
Due to high volume and budget constraints, the time span for most major road repairs is two to three years.
To report a problem road, call Metro Public Works at 615-862-8750. Crews will come out, evaluate the road and add it to the list as needed.
The annual pavement evaluation does not include Davidson County's interstate system, which is managed by Tennessee Department of Transportation.
