Explaining the Road Program – how do we decide on road repairs?
Every 2-3 years our engineers conduct a Roadway Condition Survey. Each survey provides us with a current assessment of the existing roadway conditions and recommendations for future roadway repair projects. We use the survey report to prioritize annual roadway repairs and to efficiently allocate funding.
The survey report includes a 5-15 year reconstruction plan, which helps us project future budgets for roads, the concrete program, stormwater improvements etc. This plan is revised every 2-3 years with each new survey, and we also conduct field surveys more frequently, as weather and other factors can create new and unforeseen priorities. A number of roads lie within the Borough but are owned by the state and maintained by PennDOT (scroll down for a complete list of these roads); the Roadway Condition Survey does not examine or report on State roads.
Pavement conditions on Borough-owned roads are rated using a methodology based on the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Guide for Design of Pavement Structures. According to this scale, the lower the rating, the better the road condition; a higher rating means the road is more in need of repair.
The 2021-10-27 2021 Roadway Condition Survey with Map provides more details about the AASHTO methodology and ratings system, and sets out the current rating and a proposed recommendation for every road in the Borough, dependent on the available funding. Here are some highlights:
The Borough’s OVERALL roadway condition rating (2021) is 2.13 which, according to surveys carried out since 2016, is the lowest – and best – rating in the last 15 years. More than 1/3 of our roadways are rated “1” (in newly paved condition) and around 80% rated “3” or better (in acceptable condition).
The 5-15 year reconstruction plan indicates that ALL our roads rated as 4.5 and 5 will be repaired by the year 2025. We are working on finalizing the list for repair in 2022 and will update residents as soon as we have it.
Property owners are responsible for the upkeep and repairs of sidewalks and curbs. Residents and businesses on roads scheduled for repair are subject to sidewalk inspections and will be notified if repairs are required before the roadway is repaired.
Comments or questions regarding the maintenance of Borough-owned roads should be directed to the Borough office at 215-257-5065.
PA STATE ROADS:
UPDATE 12/2021: PennDOT has announced plans to resurface PA State Road 4039. PennDOT’s project – tentatively planned for 2024 – will bring much needed improvements to the state-owned sections of N. 5th Street and W. Market Street as follows:
- N 5th Street from W. Blooming Glen Drive /Borough Line to W. Market Street
- W. Market Street from N 7th Street to N. Ridge Road
Road resurfacing projects in Perkasie require that curbs, sidewalks and driveway aprons on affected properties be replaced or repaired as necessary to ensure they are safe and meet the specifications in Borough Code. The property owner is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of curbs, sidewalk and driveway aprons, and responsible for the costs involved in any repairs or replacement.