First published in the Aug. 6 print issue of the Burbank Leader.
Burbank embarked on its largest street resurfacing project in the city’s history this summer.
Set to end in October, the city will repave and restore more than 170 street segments, or 26.5 miles, of roadway.
The project will dwarf other street resurfacing programs in comparable cities, according to Burbank civil engineer Omar Moheize. The cost of the project is estimated to cost the city about $8.5 million.
“A city of this size with a 110,000 population, on average paves 4 to 6 miles annually. Our project is paving over 26 miles … which gives us the best bang for our buck.”
Local and residential streets with pavement conditions rated poor and below will see improvements, mainly in neighborhoods south of West Burbank Boulevard, and north of West Verdugo Avenue between Clybourne Way and North San Fernando Boulevard.
Specifically, streets will see new high-visibility crosswalks, quieter rubberized asphalt with improved visibility and no more potholes. The work also includes removal and reconstruction of damaged or substandard curbs, gutters, sidewalks, driveways and pedestrian ramps.
A special blend of asphalt and material from recycled tires is being used, and approximately 144,000 discarded tires will be diverted from landfills, according to a city report.
“Well-maintained streets do improve the quality of life with safer driving and less maintenance on vehicles. Also it improves the value of the neighborhood, using thermoplastic striping that gives high visibility and contrast between the asphalt and the pavement markings,” Moheize said.
While Moheize said responses to the work have, so far, been positive from residents who appreciate updated streets, the city is still working to limit inconvenient road closures and parking bottlenecks.
“All measures are taken, and every effort is made to minimize the inconveniences to the residents and to the business community,” he said. “This very large and complex project requires a meticulous coordination with all the impacted utilities and city services.”
Moheize said that the repaving operations are taking place in phases so adjacent streets will be left available for parking while a specified street is being repaved. Work on a given street is typically limited to three or four days.
In 2018, voters approved Measure P, providing the funding needed to maintain the city’s deteriorating infrastructure.
