Utility Marking: In order to make sure that the process goes smoothly and safely, utilities must be located and marked. In advance of the rebuilding process, you’ll see a crew working around the neighborhood and marking the streets.

Resident Notices: A few days before work begins, door-to-door notices are handed out to residents and No Parking signs are placed.

Signs and Cones:  When work is set to commence, the road will be set up with cones, traffic signs, etc. to mark off the work zone and help direct traffic during operations. 

Up to 4.5” of the existing asphalt surface is milled off. This is done to remove some material in order to make room for the new asphalt surface. This is essential for areas with curb and gutter.

Timing: Milling a typical neighborhood block will take between 2 and 3 hours.

What to expect:  There will be noise created by the milling machine and other equipment.

Driving and getting around:  The road is safe to drive on and flaggers and crew members will help motorists navigate around work zones safely.

A spreader truck adds lime or cement, depending on the mix design, on top of the material to be recycled. The reclaimer machine will pass over the road to grind and mix the remaining asphalt and base material together with the lime or cement additive. Water is also mixed into the material to help create the new road base. 

Timing: Applying the additives and mixing the material on an average block will take about 2 hours.

What to expect:  Machinery noises will continue. There will be some dust when the spreader truck adds in the lime/cement. This will be kept to a minimum. 

One lane will be open to allow traffic to get around operations and flaggers and crews will assist. 

IMPORTANT NOTE:  It’s best not to drive across the cement before it’s mixed in. The raw cement can get stuck to vehicles or track into driveways. If you need immediate assistance to drive across a road in process, wave down a crew member or call the supervisor on your project notice for assistance.

A grader levels the surface and bring it to near grade. Small front-end loaders help remove any excess material. When the road has been graded, steel drum rollers (10” base or less) or a combination of pad foot and steel rollers (more than 10”) will smooth and compact the material and prepare it for paving. The graders, loaders and rollers all work together to finish up the base so expect to see and hear all of them working at once.

Timing: Grading and compacting takes about 2 hours on the average street block. 

What to expect:  Typical heavy equipment noises will continue. There may be some felt vibration created by the vibrating action of the steel roller.

NOTE: There will likely be a lip at your drive if you have curb and gutter. Material will be placed at the lip to enable you to drive in and out. It’s a good idea to approach the lip from an angle, especially if you have a low-profile vehicle.

Once the base is complete, it’s ready for a brand-new asphalt surface. Paving is usually done within 72 hours. A water truck will keep the new base material moist to mitigate dust.

Special Notes: Be aware that utilities will be sticking up above the surface of the road base to allow for the asphalt layers. Cones will be used to mark off utilities. 

TOTAL FDR Time on Street: From start to finish on the average neighborhood block, the FDR process will generally take between 6 and 8 hours. You will be able to have access to your home the entire time. (This does not include the time to repave with asphalt.)