[Story was updated with the corrected 2023 budget number. We regret the error.]
The 2023 City of Rye Annual Street Resurfacing Program Project List has been released. The City’s consultant, VHB, has finalized their evaluation of the pavement condition for city-maintained streets as of May 18th.
“When we go out into the field and do our evaluation, we look for nine distresses on the pavement,” Gordon Daring, a consultant from VHB Engineers, said during a recent City Council Meeting. Those are things that everyone is familiar with. Things like cracks in the road, potholes, distortions, etc. But what we do is we quantify those distresses in a very prescribed way and calculate a pavement condition index (PCI), for each road section. That PCI value, amongst other things, is a reasonably good indicator of the level of improvement or maintenance rehabilitation that that particular section might be in need of.”
The PCI score is on a 100 point scale, with a 100 being a virtually perfect road. The average road in Rye currently has a PCI score of 84. This is a significant improvement since 2018 when the resurfacing evaluation program began. This score is also exceptional in the northeast as very few communities are able to achieve and maintain an average PCI score in the 80’s.
“An average of 84 is very, very good,” Daring said. “I would venture a guess that you wouldn’t find another community in Westchester County with that kind of average.”
This successful PCI score is a reflection of the excellent commitment and investment that the City of Rye spends to keep our roads in great condition.
“Its certainly noticeable. You know, as you drive around town,” Daring said about the condition of roads in Rye. “A bit of a model for other communities, I would say.”
As encouraging as the evaluation was, however, there are still roads that need immediate maintenance, and these newly paved roads don’t come without a heavy cost to the city. The current allocated 2023 City paving budget of $1.4 – $1.5 million roughly will maintain the overall quality (PCI score) of the City’s roads. This year’s budget is higher as it accounts for the paving the the Rye Art Center and the Rye Recreation parking lots. The estimated cost for addressing the entire backlog is approximately $8,782,078. This cost includes fifteen miles worth of structural improvement, which makes up over 90% of the total cost.
Below is VHB’s list of worst to first roads recommended for completion this year:
Name From To
GRACE CHURCH ST MIDLAND AVE FOREST AVE
REYMONT AVE SONN DR PARKWAY DR
PARKWAY DR CRESCENT DR CLAREMONT AVE
THE LANE (PARKING LOT) MILTON RD DEAD END
COTTAGE ST MIDLAND AVE CITY LINE
BARLOW LANE NEIL PL CUL-DE-SAC
BEVERLY DR CLAREMONT AVE PARKWAY DR
EVERGREEN AVE HILLSIDE RD ELIZABETH ST
FIELDSTONE RD FOREST AVE STONYCREST RD
ANN LANE FOREST AVE CUL-DE-SAC
FOREST AVE BECK AVE APAWAMIS AVE
MEADOW PL HIGHLAND RD DEAD END
GREENHAVEN RD RYE RD DEAD END
MENDOTA AVE HIGHLAND RD MOHAWK ST
HARBOR LANE GREENHAVEN RD BARLOW LA
