The Pavement Management Division plays a key role in the preservation and maintenance of paved roads and subdivisions.
In Weld County our Paving, Milling, Chip Seal, Slurry Seal, Patching, and Concrete Repair operations are completed by Weld County crews and conducted from April 1 to October 15, with the expectation of Crack Fill. Crack Fill operations are conducted from October 15 to April 1. The minimum temperature for allowing pavement operations is typically around 40 degrees and rising for any operation that is using an asphalt cement or emulsion. Weld County’s paved roads have a life expectancy of 20 years for asphalt roads and 30 years for concrete roads.
The Overlay and Sealcoat Program improves deteriorating asphalt, by the utilization of reconstructs, overlays, sealcoats, or crack sealing to existing streets. The program encompasses approximately 130 miles of roads in Weld County annually. This is supplemented with routine patching and drainage improvements.
The annual overlay and sealcoat Program is developed through the use of a computerized Pavement Management System in conjunction with 100 miles of annual nondestructive pavement deflection testing and pave data collection that is performed by a third party vendor. This system includes an inventory of the road network as well as roadway test data for each paved section. It allows us to select roads for repair at the most effective time.
New pavement is very resilient in the first years of its life. It can easily handle the car and truck traffic it was designed for as well as what mother nature can throw at it without showing much sign of wear.
With the passage of time, the effects of traffic and weather begin to show. Cracks begin to appear and the pavement starts to ravel around the edges. Here and there, parts of the street may even sag a bit. In spite of all that, the street is still in pretty good condition.
As still more time goes by, the road continues to lose its ability to "bounce back" from the effects of traffic and weather, and after years of adequate service, it reaches a point where it begins to deteriorate more rapidly. The existing cracks become wider and potholes begin to appear. Water from the rain and snow will seep through these cracks and holes, weakening the gravel base and soil beneath the asphalt. Soon, the weak and aging pavement will no longer be able to stand up to the traffic and weather and the roadway will fail.
Fortunately, there is an alternative. Weld County has an annual Overlay and Sealcoat Program that is designed to prolong the life and protect our investment by applying preventative maintenance, before the pavement reaches the final stage of its life - the period of rapid deterioration. An asphalt overlay is part facelift and part reincarnation. After the preventative maintenance, the road will look very much like it did when it was new and will again be able to withstand the effects of traffic and weather. And, the very best part of all this is that preventative maintenance saves the taxpayers a bundle of money.
Pavement Management has played a crucial role in the preservation of Weld County roads. Weld County has experienced significant growth over the years. Population growth has increased traffic and time has continued to age our paved roads.
Seventy Percent of the roads in Weld County were built in the 1950’s – 1960’s and have been maintained thru the years with various methods to preserve and extend their life.
The task of monitoring condition and tracking history is a formidable task. However, with the use of the pavement management software and the expertise of trained personal the challenge has been achieved.
Weld County has approximately 2,906 total miles of roadway of which 748 miles are paved. With 748 miles or 1,496 lane miles of paved road it becomes clear that Weld County has a large investment to protect, especially when considering that if the paved roads were placed end to end they would reach almost half way across the United States.
Pavement Management has been a cost-effective tool for the preservation of our roads. Timely maintenance will save money.
Deferring maintenance has become a popular solution with some agencies during recent years of revenue shortfall, and now they are facing the consequences at five times the cost. A street which has an overlay deferred will eventually need complete rehabilitation.
Weld County uses many different strategies to preserve the life of a roadway. Below are the types of maintenance used and approximate miles completed each year.
Chip Seal Operation. Approx. 50 miles/year. Slurry Seal Operation. Approx. 30 miles/year
Paving Operation. Approx. 30 miles/year. Milling Operation. Approx. 30 miles/year.
Past and Present Investments into our road system have maintained favorable results. Gradual funding increases should be anticipated as our road system ages and future traffic demands increase.
What causes a pothole in a paved street?
Several things can cause potholes: base failure, damage from equipment or accidents, moisture, freeze/thaw cycles, and stress on the section from overweight loads.
How do I report a pothole?
The best process for reporting a pothole is to contact the Public Works Department at 970-304-6496, ext. 3750, or to fill out the Public Works Report An Issue Form.
How can I find out what paved roads are scheduled to be maintained?
The best way to find out when a maintenance overlay is scheduled is to contact the Public Works Department at 970-304-6496, ext. 3750.