Erie County Legislator Jim Malczewski introduced a resolution at session last Thursday, June 8 calling on the Department of Public Works Division of Highways to provide a preventative maintenance plan to the Legislature. The purpose of this resolution is to extend the useful life of roadways at a significantly lower cost than full replacement.
“We have more lane miles than some states. With our extreme weather conditions our roads take a beating. Replacing these lane miles is incredibly expensive. By having a thorough plan in place to perform routine maintenance, we can ensure these roads have a longer life, saving taxpayer dollars,” said Legislator Jim Malczewski.
Erie County maintains 1,176 center lane miles. The Division of Highways has set a goal to work on about 100 miles of pavement preservation improvements each year, which would equate to a 12-year cycle on any particular road. However, Legislator Malczewski pointed out, there are many factors that could impact preservation work, and some roads may need maintenance more frequently.
“By providing the legislature with a longer-term maintenance plan, outlining which roads and what type of maintenance we can expect, we can better monitor, evaluate, and prepare for those projects, and we can provide answers to our constituents’ concerns with more certainty. As a small business owner, I know how important it is to plan ahead, prepare and plan for different outcomes and unanticipated issues,” said Legislator Malczewski.
The resolution directs the Erie County Department of Public Works, Division of Highways to provide a twelve-year pavement preservation program that will include which roads will be addressed by year, outline the planned maintenance, and update lawmakers on an annual basis.
“Infrastructure work is one of the key functions of county government. It’s also expensive. That’s why we need to do it right, we need to keep our constituents informed, and we need to have a long-term plan in place,” concluded Legislator Malczewski.