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Switch from concrete to asphalt under review
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - April 07, 2010)
Switch from concrete to asphalt under review
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Chester Township officials have proposed a joint project with Munson Township for Legend Creek Drive, but Munson officials may not be sold on the idea.
Chester Trustee Judy Caputo went to Munson Township Trustees last week to seek cooperation with the concrete road. She said the joint project is intended to convert the concrete road into asphalt. She said Chester has a number of concrete roads that it would eventually like to convert to asphalt.
Mrs. Caputo said the township has a road-replacement schedule for asphalt roads, but not concrete ones. Once the roads are converted to asphalt, she said, they will be placed on the schedule for regular maintenance.
Legend Creek Drive begins off Heath Road in Chester Township, then goes east by northeast into Munson Township.
Mrs. Caputo said the road has begun buckling. The plan is to grind the concrete road and use it for cement stabilization before putting an asphalt overlay on top, she said.
Estimates from the Geauga County Engineer's Office are $135,000 for work on the Chester portion of the road and $210,000 for the Munson portion, she said.
"Chester officials now have the will to do Legend Creek once and for all," she said.
Mrs. Caputo said Chester officials will proceed with the repairs with or without Munson. She said the township did not budget for the $135,000 repair but will look for alternative funding to get the project done. She said some chip-and-seal projects may have to be delayed to provide money for the project.
She said other paving projects the township is considering may include portions of Heath and Sperry roads.
Although Chester may be proceeding with plans for asphalting Legend Creek Drive, Munson Road Superintendent Jim Teichman said the project may not make sense for his township.
He said the township annually has been making repairs to the concrete slabs along the road and most of the road is in good shape now. He said the road from Heath Road is about 550 feet long. Along that stretch, he said, Munson already has replaced about 200 feet of slabs.
Mr. Teichman questioned whether the township should tear up the work it has done just so it can be converted to asphalt.
He said the $210,000 price tag may not be worth it, because it benefits few residents. He said the work would affect about four to five homes along the stretch, with another three to four on the Chester side.
Mr. Teichman said trustees have asked for more information on the project before giving an answer.
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