Vernon Hills aims to extend pavement life, stave off repairs
With no source of additional road repair funds, Vernon Hills is trying something different to extend the life of newer pavement well before repairs are needed.
The village this year will spend $1.2 million on repaving neighborhood streets, but is hoping to deflect future expenses by spending an extra $30,000 to apply a "rejuvenator" to some road surfaces.
David Brown, the village's public works director/engineer, said a product called Reclamite Preservation Seal will be applied to streets resurfaced in the 2015 road rehabilitation program: Deerpath Drive north of Atrium Drive, Atrium Drive, and Phillip Road, some streets north of Greenleaf Drive in the New Century Town subdivision and a portion of Indianwood Drive south of Greenleaf Drive.
The product adds a "rejuvenator" to newer road surfaces and extends the life of the pavement.
"It keeps it (street surface) flexible so small cracks don't become large cracks," Brown said. "This is our first year."
Brown said village streets were assessed during the budget process this past spring.
It was determined state motor fuel tax funds weren't adequate to address all the work needed.
So, two products provided by Corrective Asphalt Materials LLC were tested. Reclamite, which is used more extensively in DuPage County than in Lake County, has a good track record and was the less expensive option, he added.
As Corrective Asphalt Materials is the sole provider, the village board this past week agreed to waive competitive bidding and authorized a contract with the firm that is not to exceed $30,000.
"There's certainly a lot of interest in Lake County now. More and more villages are looking to consider it," according to Brown.