Construction starts on several roads in downtown Dillingham Wednesday evening.
Quality Asphalt Products will pulverize the existing asphalt and install a dirt surface on Seward Street, D Street, 2nd Avenue, and East Main Street.
“It’s kind of like a big mixing drum going down the roadway," said QAP superintendent Max Vockner. "It will probably go six inches down into the road bed and grind up that existing asphalt that’s below the dirt there and mix it in with the gravel that’s on top of the road. It will give it a better resistance to potholing and rutting. At the same time, we’re bringing up the center line of the roads a little bit to promote the water to go to the curbs.”
The roads were selected based on the severity of their potholes. Several are slated to be repaved by the state next year. City Manager Todd Larson said the city decided on this interim measure based on community feedback.
“The roads have been an issue for some time and the council has been trying to figure out what to do. We’re in the process of working on getting them paved next year, potentially. We drive the roads ourselves. We know that they’re terrible. It’s just balancing what gets paid for. It really is a balancing issue,” Larson said.
The repairs will cost $195,000. The city estimates pulverizing the roads will eliminate 85 percent of the potholes downtown.
Construction will begin Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. and continue until 8 a.m. If crews are not able to complete construction in one night, they will continue Thursday evening. The roads will be blocked off until construction is completed.
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