To Curb or Not to Curb

Started by NpS • 5 replies • 1723 views

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NpS (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 4,216

Posted:

Per our reserve study, it's time to repave our streets, but our curbs have another 15 years of life.

But in 15 years when we should do curbs, we'll be cutting up the streets. We are thinking that maybe we should replace the worst curbs now and try to get another 25 years out the rest of the curbs.

Has anyone had a similar situation? What did you decide and what were the most important factors that went into your decision?

All responses welcome.

Sikubali jukumu. Read all posts at your own risk.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

Np,

We fixed our curbs as needed.
The most important factor being what risk/liability does the Association have now that they have been made aware of the issue.

JonD1
Posts: 2,350

Posted:

Can we assume your roads and curbs are blacktop?

Our blacktop curbing is more than 30 years old. We have made repairs to sections but most is original. We do not replace items based on schedules or timetables. We replace based on need to do so.

Similar to roofs we would not simply remove and replace all our roofing because the due date arrived. If you curbing is in acceptable condition I would hold off on that expense.

As to your roads. Have you solicited bids for this work? Will this be a coml,eye removal or will you be adding a cap to existing blacktop.?
Depending on which route you go there may be quite a cost difference.

Here too we have never replaced the entire blacktop road surfaces and parking areas. We are on 16 acres and to do so would be quite expensive.
We have replaced sections and we seal coat our lots every 3-4 years.

Whatever you decide this will be quite a project both in effort and expense. Good luck.

NpS (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 4,216

Posted:

Thanks for responses Jon and Tim

Blacktop surface. Close to 30 years old. Many patches. Surface is alligatored or down to dirt base in some places. No or minimal gravel layer beneath. Last 2 winters of chemicals/salt and plows have been brutal.

Will be doing some milling and adding a layer of asphalt. No bids yet.

Although the streets are the bigger expense, what needs to be done is reasonably well understood. We really aren't sure about the curbing.

Snow plows have done their damage. Also, poor grading has caused curb erosion in places. So we know that we will be doing some curb fixes when we repave.

Here are a couple of questions we are thinking about:

1. Would it be more cost efficient to replace curbs at the same time as the repaving since things will be dug up at that time anyway? Any idea what that cost difference might be?

2. Since we'll be doing partial curb repairs, what gets replaced and what doesn't will involve some judgment calls. Those decisions will of course be based on a mix of budget and aesthetics. It's the aesthetics we're most concerned about. There's likely to be many "why theirs but not mine" questions asked. Would appreciate your thoughts.

3. Will be holding a special meeting on the project at some point. Any dos and don'ts you can offer?

Sikubali jukumu. Read all posts at your own risk.

ND (PA)
Posts: 792

Posted:

Maybe you could use actual cost estimates from paving companies to help answer the question for you. Seems like your biggest decision factor is cost of the job. When seeking bids, pose the three different options as projects that you'd like to have the companies bid.

(1) Repaving only 100% of streets.
(2) Repaving 100% of streets and TBD sections of curbing.
(3) Repaving 100% of streets and 100% of curbing.

I would venture to say that for option (2) above, they'd have some cost/foot of curbing to replace. With those costs, then you can actually measure the curbing that you might want to replace right now and then do the math to figure out whether (2) or (3) would be least expensive.

NpS (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 4,216

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By ND on 09/01/2015 9:09 AM
Maybe you could use actual cost estimates from paving companies to help answer the question for you. Seems like your biggest decision factor is cost of the job. When seeking bids, pose the three different options as projects that you'd like to have the companies bid.

(1) Repaving only 100% of streets.
(2) Repaving 100% of streets and TBD sections of curbing.
(3) Repaving 100% of streets and 100% of curbing.

I would venture to say that for option (2) above, they'd have some cost/foot of curbing to replace. With those costs, then you can actually measure the curbing that you might want to replace right now and then do the math to figure out whether (2) or (3) would be least expensive.

You're right ND that (1) and (2) are straightforward. Either you allocate the funds or you don't. And yes cost per foot in (2) would provide the economic yardstick. More concerned about reaction from community to a significant but less than full replacement/repair. Not sure if I've conveyed the issue well.

Sikubali jukumu. Read all posts at your own risk.

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