Transportation Office
2025 Roadway Projects
The Borough has a productive road construction season ahead. We want to keep our residents in the loop so this page’s purpose is to inform the public of what is happening and why.
This year, the Borough is testing several innovative resurfacing techniques aimed at delivering roads that are stronger, longer-lasting, and more cost-effective.
Section 1 – Asphalt Over Concrete
Location: North Street (Eastern Ave to Wesley Ave)
Cost: $63,142.5
We’re overlaying asphalt on top of a concrete base — a method that often leads to “reflective cracking,” where cracks from the concrete joints show through the new asphalt.
To prevent this, we’ll pre-cut the concrete joints and fill them with tar. This creates a controlled fault line, encouraging any future cracks to follow those paths. If successful, this approach could serve as a model for resurfacing other concrete-based streets in the Borough.
Section 2 – Structural Asphalt + Seal Coat
Location: Riverside Drive (Buffalo Rd to Fremont St)
Cost: $73,957.5
Rather than milling and replacing the road with several inches of softer asphalt, we’re trying a structural-grade binder asphalt that’s much stronger and more durable — though slightly rougher in texture.
Once the new surface is down, we’ll seal coat it to protect and smooth it out. This combination aims to deliver better performance and longer life than traditional paving.
Location: Borough Hall Lot & Merski Office Lot
Cost: Combined $35,088
Both lots are badly in need of repair. We plan to mill the existing surface, replace it with high-strength binder asphalt, and then seal coat the top layer for added durability and protection.
Section 3 – Spot Repair
Location: Fremont Street (Between Center and Market)
Cost: $12,014
A large patch repair is planned for where the concrete has failed and the roadway has noticeably sunk. The Borough has received many calls about this particular spot.
We want to do the remainder of the roadway eventually but it is quite expensive to repair/replace the concrete roadway so for now we need to just do a section.
Section 4 – Seal Coating – “Tar and Chip”
Location: The map posted at the top of the page above shows all the locations throughout the Borough scheduled for seal coating in 2025.
Cost: $70,034.48
This year, we have another busy season of seal coating ahead.
Why Seal Coat?
- Resurfacing a road costs nearly 10 times more than seal coating.
- Seal coating helps preserve roads before they deteriorate.
- It prevents water from seeping into the road base and damaging the foundation.
- Seal coating is PennDOT-recommended and completely safe at Borough driving speeds.
Public Perception of Seal Coating
Here are a few common concerns we’ve heard — and what the Borough has to say:
- “It’s only for rural or dirt roads.”
- Seal coating is for any paved surface. It effectively preserves asphalt roads, whether they’re in rural areas or right here in town.
- “It’s rough to drive on.”
- Yes, it can feel a bit uncomfortable and dusty during the first few weeks. But once the surface has settled and traffic has packed it down, it becomes nearly indistinguishable from a standard asphalt road.
- Example – Take a look at the roads around you and see if you can identify which streets were seal coated in 2023 and 2024. (There are quite a few!)
- “It’s cheap.”
- That’s true — and that’s a good thing. Full road resurfacing is costly. Seal coating allows the Borough to extend the life of our roads cost-effectively, helping us maintain more miles of pavement within budget.
- “The asphalt chips get everywhere.”
- This is a valid downside. The chips are a necessary part of the process but can be inconvenient. Last winter, some residents noticed chips scraped into their yards by snowplows. As a response, the Borough will be increasing street sweeping to address leftover debris.
- But consider this: If the plows are scraping so hard they’re throwing chips into yards, imagine the wear and tear they’d cause to unprotected pavement.
These methods reflect our continued effort to maintain Borough infrastructure responsibly — balancing cost, quality, and longevity. We’ll be monitoring each project closely and sharing updates on results.