The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) today highlighted that paving season is off to fast start in City neighborhoods, starting a full two weeks earlier than usual, thanks to improved coordination with Alderman and the relatively mild winter, which led to fewer potholes. City crews were able to turn their attention from pothole patching to repaving operations earlier in the spring, with CDOT and the Department of Water Management (DWM) having already paved 32 miles of City Streets. Chicago neighborhoods have also benefited from the accelerated pace of repaving over the past five years, as more than a quarter of City streets have been repaved during Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration.

“Every resident of every neighborhood in Chicago deserves streets that are in good condition,” Mayor Emanuel said. “We’re making progress, no doubt about it. This year, we’ve gotten off to an earlier than usual start to the paving season and we are picking up steam. We are going keeping pushing hard toward our ultimate goal of delivering 21st Century infrastructure and improving quality of life throughout the City of Chicago.”

City crews started milling operations, or grinding off the old surface of streets, in early April this year and started asphalt paving operations April 18, about two weeks ahead of schedule. Local asphalt plants started producing hot asphalt, which is essential for street repaving, earlier than normal this spring due to warmer than normal temperatures.

CDOT this year also expedited the process of working with Alderman to identify residential streets that will be resurfaced through the Menu program.

“Thanks to improved coordination with Alderman, we are able to hit the ground running at the start of this paving season,” CDOT First Deputy Commissioner Randy Conner said.   “We also saw fewer potholes this winter, and this allowed us to turn our attention earlier in the season from patching to paving.”

The number of potholes reported through the 311 system in the first three months of 2016 is down 30 percent compared to 2015.  

Conner explained that when CDOT’s In-House Construction forces re-surface residential blocks, residents will see “No Parking” signs up 24 to 48 hours before milling operations begin. The posting covers three to five days to provide flexibility for weather or mechanical delays. Milling, or grinding of the old surface takes about a day or less. The next phase involves street conditioning in advance of applying asphalt, and this also takes a day or less.

Before new asphalt is applied, crews must also make sewer adjustments, which also require a second posting of parking restrictions 24 to 48 hours in advance.

The final step, which requires a third no parking notice, involves the application of asphalt to create a smooth surface and typically takes a day or less. 

CDOT, the Department of Water Management and private utilities paved 297 miles of city streets last year, pushing the total to more than 1,350 miles repaved since Mayor Emanuel took office in 2011.

To ensure the City is not only increasing investment in street repaving projects, but also investing more efficiently, the City has improved coordination on infrastructure projects.  Through CDOT’s Project Coordination Office, City infrastructure departments and utilities have worked together to reduce the amount of project conflicts that would require opening up a street more than once. These coordination efforts have led to a savings of $73 million since 2012.

You can follow CDOT on digital media:
Twitter:  @ChicagoDOT
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CDOTNews