Kaylee – The story is missing the main news here – is that summit is already finished. This story could have run last week – and made more local sense. Students could have seen the work being done. YOu could top it off by including that the finishing touches – lane painting – is happening to Summit in the next few (????days, weeks) and may see other main streets being paved as well.

So, I got a letter about LONGMERE drive and what’s up there as it crosses my street. I’ll bring it in my purse Monday.

The main problem? Details. You have quotes; you get the general picture, but details? A non-story without it. b

Kaylee Remington

[email protected]

Daily Kent Stater

The city of Kent is preparing for its 2010 City Paving Program, and this year, they are able to pave roads based on their specific condition.

City Manager Dave Ruller said the Engineer’s Office makes observations on streets in Kent.

“As part of the city’s paving program, the city’s Engineering Office has developed street assessment criteria that they use to physically inspect each street in order to generate a numerical condition rating for each street,” Ruller said. “They then tally all the scores to generate a list of the most critical pavement needs each year and that list serves as a basis for the City’s paving contract bid document.

The process for paving the roads is simple City Engineer Jim Bowling said.

“We’re going to mill off two inches of the asphalt,” Bowling said.

What this means is the contractor will take off the top two inches of the asphalt and lay a new two inches of asphalt. Bowling said it’s not a total replacement, but meant to extend the life of the road.

City Manager Dave Ruller said that the paving will create some obstacles when driving through these roads.

“Typically paving operations create temporary traffic delays and detours,” Ruller said. The extent of delays and detours is unknown.

The total budget of the program is $700,000, according to a budget on the engineer’s page, and will be broken down according to what individual roads need. The resurfacing for roads will cost $245,000, crack sealing $30,000, seal coating $50,000 and miscellaneous pavement repairs at $110,000.

Residents in the city can go to Kent’s website and click on the engineers department for the whole breakdown.

Ruller said this program helps them closely look at what roads need the most help, rather than paving roads that don’t really need it.

“Our goal is to be more scientific and business-like in making our decisions for what street investments need to be made each year which is really only possible when you can analyze and aggregate the raw data across all of the city streets,” Ruller said. “I would say that this programming approach allows us to make sure that our most critical needs are met each year.

The paving program will start in a couple weeks.