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Maine Alliance for Road Associations

Help Developing Long-term Road Maintenance Plan

  • 23 Jul 2015 3:54 PM
    Message # 3446530
    Deleted user

    Our statutory road association voted at this year's meeting to develop a "10-year" road maintenance plan. The road is, at last, in pretty good shape overall with steady annual maintenance, however, we have had problems the last couple of winters with water running under a portion of the road during the spring thaw causing sink holes at a time when it is too early in the season to bring in heavy equipment to fix it. Also, we already know that a section of the road was built over stumps so it may never be ideal. Creating an entirely new road bed - even over the long-term - is likely to be cost-prohibitive. The property owners who have volunteered to get the ball rolling on our long-term plan would like to talk with someone who is qualified to advise them on how to begin. We have not ruled out paying an expert if it comes to that, but would rather not start with that premise. Any thoughts and experiences MARA members may have with launching a long-term road maintenance plan would be greatly appreciated!

  • 28 Jul 2015 10:55 AM
    Reply # 3454626 on 3446530

    What part of the State are you located in? It might make a difference. Thanks

  • 29 Jul 2015 1:26 PM
    Reply # 3456655 on 3446530

    There is a gentleman by the name of Philip Curtis who is the Maine Local Road Consultant, I believe with Maine DOT.

    I used his expertise in 2013 to assist our road association with the installation of a tricky culvert situation. Phil was very helpful and his recommendation helped. There was no charge.

    If Phil doesn't have what you are looking for, chances are he knows someone who does. His cell # is 431-6448 and his email is dpc@beeline-online.net

    Give him a call, PDunn

  • 04 Aug 2015 8:59 AM
    Reply # 3464106 on 3446530
    Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Like you, we have just made an attempt at a longer-term road maintenance plan.  Our window is a more modest five year plan, as we felt it was about all we could manage, starting from nothing.  We're in Cumberland County and have consulted with the Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District.  They told us that they could prepare a road maintenance plan for us and gave us a sample document to give us a sense of the final product.

    We would love to have the CCSWCD prepare a plan, but the estimate for doing so was likely to be $3,000 or more (in part because our road is 1.5 miles), so we've opted to prepare several spreadsheets that lay out (1) repair projects by year, (2) culvert, drainage ditch and catch/drop pool cyclical leaf and weed cleaning and (3) a sediment check and removal schedule.  We're also using a blog to document our projects as we undertake them, with a description as before and after pictures.

    It is our hope that we might eventually be able to afford a CCSWCD road maintenance plan.  You might check with your local conservation district (if you have one) or even with ours to see if they might share/print a sample plan for you.  Seems as if that, plus access to the individual noted in an earlier response to your posting, might be a good start to your efforts.

  • 04 Aug 2015 3:24 PM
    Reply # 3464633 on 3446530
    Deleted user

    Thank you both for your very helpful responses. I will check with our regional (Midcoast) SWCD to see if they have a sample plan they can share with us. Will also contact Philip Curtis once I receive something preliminary from our committee of property owners about their reasonable expectations for the implementation of such a long-term plan. Better to have something in hand before calling someone in so we don't waste their time. Much appreciated!

  • 08 Aug 2015 9:03 AM
    Reply # 3470894 on 3446530
    Deleted user

    Our road association has used Josh Platt of Maine Environmental Solutions 207 441 9366 info@mesmaine.com or see their web site www.mesmaine.com. Josh will do an assessment a plan and supervise the implementation. He did it for us. We are in Belgrade, Horse Point Road.


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