Amherst plans to pave and repair dozens of streets as part of a nearly $4 million road program for fiscal year 2027.
The work spans full reconstruction and preventive maintenance, with the goal of slowing further road deterioration before it leads to even more expensive fixes.
Here's what to know
Scheduled to continue through June 30, 2027, the town's FY27 pavement management and paving plan carries a bid price of $3,960,148.50. The list includes Main Street, North Pleasant Street, Market Hill Road, Middle Street, Station Road, and Wildflower Drive.
According to Amherst Indy, officials selected the roads based on pavement wear, traffic levels, and whether drainage or safety upgrades are needed. Treatment methods such as reclamation and micro-milling will vary by street, depending on funding and each road's condition.
The town monitors its 104-mile road network using Citylogix pavement management software, which assigns streets a Pavement Condition Index score from 0 to 100. The latest scan, completed in September 2025, gave the network an average PCI of 57, a fair rating.
More background
The plan divides the work into two main categories: full reconstruction for pavement that is badly worn and past its useful life, and preventive treatments for roads still in fair-to-good shape.
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Preventive treatments can help pavement last longer before it needs a full rebuild.
Work is expected to start in October and run through November, with any remaining construction picking back up in April or May 2027. A milder winter could let some work continue longer, but the schedule could still change because of weather, contractor scheduling, or other unexpected issues.
The town said drivers and nearby neighbors should expect short-term detours, periodic lane restrictions, and construction noise during work hours, even as officials try to keep routes open for first responders, school buses, and everyday drivers.
What's being done?
Amherst's Department of Public Works is not treating the FY27 project list as a one-time paving season. The town said it's adding maintenance capacity and rolling out newer treatment methods to get more out of its road program while improving conditions over time.
The town said the software helps officials decide which streets to resurface first and estimate the cost of different rehabilitation options.
Residents can visit the town website, sign up for "news flash" alerts, or follow the town's social media channels for schedule updates.
Town Manager Paul Bockelman said the nearly $4 million commitment marks an initial step.
"This investment is a start in addressing the backlog of road and sidewalk repairs in the Town," Bockelman said. "It will be important to maintain and increase this level of investment annually for the next several years to make a meaningful impact on the overall condition of our roads."
Where can I learn more?
For more on the pressures behind projects like Amherst's, these articles look at why road repair backlogs are growing and how officials are trying to keep up.
• Across many communities, road damage is worsening as traffic loads and harsher weather accelerate pavement failure.
• In the UK, authorities tested autonomous pothole prevention systems to catch damage before repairs grow costlier.
• In Hawaiʻi and California, crews repaved roads with plastic waste to reuse hard-to-recycle material.
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