Marana’s Pavement Preservation Program was designed to give Marana great roads. There is a lot to the program, from what the program hopes to accomplish, what methods are utilized, and how the roads are selected for repair. In this multi-part series, we will look at all aspects of the program. Part 1 is an overview and explanation of the program.
The Town of Marana instituted the Pavement Preservation Program in an effort to keep their roadways in the best possible condition and to do so in a cost-effective manner. As of 2016 the town had 511 miles of road, roughly the same distance between Marana and Malibu.
The first goal of the program is to maintain drivable roadways and do so in a cost effective manner. The preservation program’s specific goals follow a proactive maintenance philosophy to improve pavement conditions over time, reduce overall maintenance costs, and delay the rate of deterioration due to weather, chemicals, and wear and tear.
The second component of the goal is to increase safety and meet community satisfaction expectations that every road in Marana provides a safe and smooth surface for drivers and their passengers.
Although some roads are completely repaved, most are just repaired. This not only extends the life of the road, but reduces future repair costs. The proactive approach in the maintenance of the town’s roads can delay the rate of asphalt deterioration, reduce overall maintenance costs, and improve pavement conditions over time. While everyone loves to drive on a smooth road, comfort is not the only consideration. Repaired roads increase safety while reducing liability.
Operation costs are funded by Highway User Revenue Funds (HURF), state fees, taxes, and charges relating to the registration and operation of motor vehicles to fund road repairs. Over the past two years, 100 percent of HURF money has gone to the pavement preservation program. Salaries for employees are funded by the Town’s General Fund.
In part two of this series we will look at how the Town rates the roads and figures out which projects become a priority.
