Streets & Highways
Operations
Street Maintenance
Operations crews within the Streets and Highways Division of Public Works
are responsible for the daily maintenance of the City street network
including:
- Pothole repairs
Potholes form when the road surface becomes worn and cracked. Cracks
allow water to seep into the asphalt. The freezing and thawing of this
water creates movement within the structure that weakens the asphalt. As
this occurs, small pieces of aggregate are removed. A pothole develops
over time as traffic continues to place a load on the weakened asphalt.
Operations crews typically respond to a reported pothole within 24
hours. A supervisor will inspect the reported pothole and have a crew
repair the pothole as the condition necessitates. In bad weather, such
as rain or snow, COLD MIX asphalt is used. COLD MIX is a temporary patch
that safes up the pothole until weather permits the use of HOT MIX
asphalt. HOT MIX asphalt is used for a permanent patch.
- Repairing joints in roadway
Permanent repairs are scheduled as needed and as funds allow through
contractual services. Also see milling of hazardous bumps.
- Milling of hazardous bumps (blow-ups)
Operations crews mill bumps (blow-ups) that occur in the roadway
surface. Movement of the concrete under the asphalt causes these raised
areas. This typically occurs at joints where two sections of concrete
come together.
- Mend-ins for concrete work
After contractors working for the Department of Public Works have
repaired curb and gutter and/or other concrete infrastructure,
operations crews tie the new concrete into the existing asphalt.
- Removal of hazardous sidewalk and temporary repairs
Operations crews remove hazardous sections of sidewalk and backfill with
stone dust (granite screenings) or COLD MIX and/or place cones or
barrels until the contractor can address the area with the permanent
repair. Hazardous sections of curb may sometime be replaced with an
asphalt curb until the permanent repair can take place.
- Alley maintenance
Operations crews maintain alleys ONLY where the City of Portsmouth
garbage collection occurs. This takes place in the Waterview and Port
Norfolk sections of the City. Maintenance involves grading and placing
of crusher run in alleys.
- Shoulder maintenance
Shoulders protect the roadway by allowing water to freely run off the
edge of the paved surface. Operations crews place crusher run and stone
dust on the shoulders of City streets. Crews are typically responsible
for maintaining a 2-ft shoulder off the edge of the pavement.
- Removal of graffiti (obscenities or gang-related) on the
street
- Small projects such as assisting with building demolition
(City property), grading projects, etc.
- Snow Removal
Paving (resurfacing) of City streets is contracted through the
Engineering Department. The Streets and Highways Divisions works closely
with the Engineering Department in selecting the streets that are paved
under the annual contract.
Teams of professional personnel are ready to respond to any concerns that
may occur along the City’s roadways, alleys and sidewalks.
Concrete Repairs
The City of Portsmouth performs permanent concrete repairs on an annual
basis with maintenance funds. Concrete failures typically are the result
of tree roots or heavy loads. Sidewalk and curb and gutter are the main
types of infrastructure repaired under this program. Repairs occur on City
right of way. The concrete maintenance program prioritizes removing and
repairing potential trip hazards in sidewalk and alleviating drainage
problems in curb and gutter. ADA ramps are installed under this program
and also by request out of capital funds.
Did You Know?
- The Streets and Highways Division maintains 888 lane miles of
roadways
- In FY 05-06, the Streets and Highways Division used 10, 473 square
yards of asphalt to repair, potholes and perform skin patches and
mend-ins; graded 87,398 linear feet of alleyways; and maintained 151,619
linear feet of shoulders
- In FY 05-06, City of Portsmouth performed the following contractual
concrete repairs where made 30 ADA Ramps; 4500 square yards of sidewalk;
3500 linear feet of curb and gutter; 500 square yards of brick pavers;
and 200 miscellaneous concrete repairs
- The City of Portsmouth only maintains alleys where City refuse is
collected
- Pavement moves according to air temperature
- Standing water is the #1 enemy of asphalt
- Shoulders are an integral part of the roadway because they allow
water to run away from the pavement
- The repair of driveways is typically the responsibility of the
property owner
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