Those streets are falling apart. They needed to be reconstructed a couple years ago, so we’re looking to trying to get that as soon as possible after the start of the next (fiscal) year, probably be happening this fall. Hopefully try to get the majority of the work done before the winter visitors come in.”

Apache Junction Public Works Manager Shane Kiesow

Roadwork definitions

Fog seal is a light application of diluted emulsion sprayed on an existing asphalt surface to enrich aging, weathered surfaces. Fog seals are also used to reduce chip loss on chip seals.

Chip seal is a preventive maintenance surface treatment entailing a single application of asphalt emulsion by a distributor followed by a cover aggregate applied by a chip spreader. The surface is then rolled to seat the aggregate.

Crack seal is a preventive technique in which a crack is prepared, cleaned, dried and a high-quality sealant material is placed into cracks to prevent infiltration of water into the underlying pavement layers.

Slurry seal is a preventive or corrective maintenance surface treatment of a mixture of aggregate, emulsified asphalt, mineral filler, additives and water. The slurry seal improves road surface texture and seals and protects the pavement.

Source: www.pinalcountyaz.gov.

By Richard Dyer
Twitter: @RHDyer

Baseline Avenue is to be reconstructed in two stretches this fall --- Winchester Road to Tomahawk Road and Ironwood Drive to Meridian Road --- with one company awarded contracts to do the work.

“We’re looking to move forward with our Baseline phase 3 reconstruction and phase 4. When I say reconstruction, that is a total repaving, reconstruction of the road,” Apache Junction Public Works Manager Shane Kiesow said to the City Council at a recent work session.

“Those streets are falling apart. They needed to be reconstructed a couple years ago, so we’re looking to trying to get that as soon as possible after the start of the next (fiscal) year, probably be happening this fall. Hopefully try to get the majority of the work done before the winter visitors come in,” he said.

The City Council recently approved in a consent agenda with other items three contracts Sunland Asphalt totaling more than $1.7 million. The contracts, from the Government Procurement Alliance cooperative, include the two segments of reconstructing Baseline Avenue and fog seal work.

“Also related to that project is the fog seals ... So that’s another project I wanted to go at the same time, so the contractors can coordinate the reconstruction adjacent to fog seal on Idaho and Baseline,” Mr. Kiesow said.

Sunland Asphalt contracts

The three contracts with Sunland Asphalt are:

• $144,974 for fog seal street preservation on select city streets, which includes $131,795.00 plus a 10% contingency for unforeseen change orders, in the amount of $13,179. Work is planned for fall 2020 and will result in a preserved street surface and new street striping for the streets. “Project is anticipated to be funded with city’s street sales tax monies,” Mr. Kiesow said in a memo to the council. “It is anticipated road restrictions will be during business hours only and only a disruption of short durations will occur to access ways,” he said.
• $811,702.27 for the reconstruction of Baseline from Winchester to Tomahawk, which includes $737,911.27 plus a 10% contingency for unforeseen change orders in the amount of $73,791. Work is planned for fall 2020 and includes a new paved surface, street striping and bike lanes. The majority of the project is anticipated to be funded with the city’s designated street development fees, Mr. Kiesow said in another memo to the council. The work would be scheduled during the day only. It is anticipated the road will be closed to traffic except for local business access only, he said.
• $782,217.50 for the reconstruction of Baseline from Ironwood to Meridian, which includes $711,107.50 plus a 10% contingency for unforeseen change orders in the amount of $71,110. Work is planned for fall 2020 and will result in a new paved surface, street striping and bike lanes. The majority of the project is anticipated to be funded with the city’s designated street development fees. The work would be scheduled during the day only. It is anticipated the road will be closed to traffic except for local business access only, Mr. Kiesow said in a memo.

Remaining plans for 2020-21

The fiscal year 2020-21 street maintenance plan includes slurry seal projects in fall 2020 and spring 2021, fog seal projects in fall 2020, crack seal work in winter 2020 and chip seal projects in spring 2021, Public Works Manager Kiesow said in a recent council work session.

He cautioned that the timeframes can change due to weather and funding.

“There’s a lot of variables out there in play that we may be postponing a project or even canceling a project,” he said.

Councilmember Robert Schroeder asked what fog seal is.

“Fog seal is just a liquid-type of asphalt. It’s very thin, it’s almost like a paint, and when you see the fog seal is usually when the pavement is only just a few years old,” Mr. Kiesow said. “That’s usually the first preservation treatment that you do after you pave --- within maybe that three- to five-year range after you pave. And then just quickly a slurry seal you might see around that 10-, 12-year mark; and than an overlay getting closer to that 15-, 20-year mark.”

In addition to the Baseline Road reconstruction projects in fall 2020, the city is planning phased Lost Dutchman Boulevard reconstruction projects in spring 2021, starting at State Route 88 to Tomahawk Road; and work on Valley and San Marcos in winter/spring 2020-21, he said at the work session.

Capital improvement projects planned in the City of Apache Junction include:

• Apache Trail medians --- fall/winter 2020. “We’re going to do Ironwood to Gold, and then there’s probably four sections in-between there and Village Inn. We’ll start from the east end,” Public Works Director Mike Wever said at the work session.
• Delaware/Palm wash channel lining phase two --- winter 2020. The first phase was 160 feet and the second phase is the remaining 650 feet, Mr. Wever said.
• Grand View subdivision curb, gutter and sidewalk --- spring 2021.
• Junction Street and Tomahawk Road channelization project --- spring 2021
• Meridian Drive and Baseline Avenue traffic signal --- summer 2021
• City of Apache Junction/Pinal County detention pond at the State Route 88 roundabout --- summer 2021. “They did a study, The engineers thought it was a good project to do. Now they’re going to do a detailed engineering design on it and hopefully next year we’ll get something going on the build,” Mr. Wever said.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley
@RHDyer

rdyer@iniusa.org

Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia, Inc.. USA, since 1987. Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions. He also is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows