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The City of Pottsville's 2023 Street Program outlines the city's investment in street infrastructure maintenance, partnerships with utilities and community organizations, and planned paving projects for 2023.

2023 Street Program – Investing in City Streets

The City of Pottsville has 57 miles of Liquid Fuel Eligible Streets. This number has increased over the years as streets become certified through the PennDOT review process.

Since 2015, the City of Pottsville has invested $1.54 million in street paving and repairs. These funds were derived from Liquid Fuels funding, General Fund Budget Allocations, and Utility Partnerships.

Investing in People

Hiring skilled workers and providing continuing education and training allows the City to maintain infrastructure in a cost-effective manner. Our workforce completes the following:

Plowing, Paving, Painting and Cleaning street surfaces
Building and repairing inlets
Assisting with temporary and long-term traffic control (special events, signs, etc.)

Factors of Road Repairs

All roads require regular repair and maintenance. Several factors impact the urgency and extent of that maintenance:

Utility Work/Construction
Aging Infrastructure
The Freeze Thaw Cycle
Use
Natural Disasters
Stormwater runoff

Utility Work

Utility upgrades and repairs are welcome and necessary. However, these initiatives can negatively impact driving surfaces.

Who are our Utility Partners?

UGI Gas Utility – UGI continues to make significant infrastructure improvements in the City, which has one of the most state-of-the-art gas services in Pennsylvania
Schuylkill County Municipal Authority (Water)
Greater Pottsville Sewer Authority
PPL Electric and Verizon

Utility upgrades include planned projects and work to restore streets in the aftermath of emergencies. These upgrades are vital in improving quality of life and crucial in long-term community and economic development.

Working with Utility Partners

The creation of effective partnerships with utility providers is essential for cost-effective street maintenance.

Joint planning of projects enables all parties to make the most of each dollar spent
Short-term and temporary repairs are essential to correct problems, particularly in winter when hot paving materials are not available
Larger utility repairs can be properly planned when disturbance is significant and the city and utility collaborate to share paving costs

Examples of successful collaborations include South Progress Avenue, Peacock Street, South 6th Street, Anderson Street, and Snyder Street.

Working with Business Partners

Developing effective relationships with business partners and investors is crucial in planning and implementing cost-effective street improvements. Investors working in and with the City can significantly enhance property values, aesthetics, and public safety through improvements around specific development projects.

The Freeze Thaw Cycle

Water seeps into soil and a road's subbase below the pavement
Cracks or potholes in the pavement surface allow water to enter the paved area
During frigid temperatures, water freezes and expands, pushing the pavement upward
As weather warms, ice melts and forms cavities underneath while the surface remains elevated; cars travel over cavities, crushing the compromised pavement layer and forming potholes

Use

Roads that are heavily traveled are at higher risk of needing repairs and maintenance. Tractor trailers and large vehicles are contributing factors to wear and tear on city streets.

Natural Disasters

Damage from flooding, hail, and strong winds can severely damage streets and public property. In some cases, city roads and infrastructure can be destroyed in hours. If a federal disaster is declared, the city may be eligible for funding to complete repairs; otherwise, the City must make repairs as part of annual street improvements or contingency funding.

Stormwater Runoff

According to the US EPA, average annual precipitation in Pennsylvania has increased 5 to 10 percent in the last century, and precipitation from extremely heavy storms has increased 70 percent in the Northeast since 1958
The City is in early stages of creating a more formalized approach to manage stormwater, which is needed to mitigate street problems caused by constant and increasing stormwater runoff

Working with Community Projects

Collaborating with various city projects enables a variety of projects to be completed in a cost-effective manner. An example is working with Alvernia University on a stormwater management project that will redirect stormwater from their parking lot and Progress Avenue into the stormwater management system, making the area safer for pedestrians and vehicles.

How Do We Respond?

Pothole repair
Contracted paving
City Paving

Short Term Repairs

Potholes are reported via the website, calls to the City, or staff observations. Repairs include Cold Patch, Concrete, or Hot Macadam.

To report a pothole: Visit pottsvillepa.gov and scroll to the bottom of the homepage, or contact the City Garage at 570-622-7690.

The Process

Creating a comprehensive Street Program requires detailed data and consideration of multiple factors:

Collection of detailed data regarding street inventory and repair history
Cost of Materials and Contracted Labor (materials cost $51 per ton in 2021, $61.70 per ton in 2022, and $65 per ton in 2023)
Citizen input
Staff & City Council Review of Data
Prioritize Streets based upon condition and use
Coordinate work with Utilities, business partners, and community projects
Present proposed program to PennDOT
Create Bid Documents
Implement timeline

How Do We Rank Our Streets

Streets are ranked based on criteria including street type, usage level, current condition, date of last major repair, type of repair needed, and ranking score.

2023 Proposed Paving Program – Phase I

2nd Street – Market St. to Norwegian St.
Division St. – 3rd to 4th St.
Union St. & Progress Ave. – Intersection
South 4th St – Union St. to Pierce St.
North 8th St. – Harrison St. to Fairview St.
Mahantongo St. – 21st St. to 22nd St.
Railroad St. – Ravine St. to Heffner St.
9th Street – Mahantongo St to Howard Ave.
Young St. – Jefferson St. to Carbon St.
Woodglen Rd. – City line to previous pave
Laurel Blvd. – Progress Ave to Domino's (two sections)
Anderson St. – Mauch Chunk to Snyder
Snyder – Anderson to Alley

2023 Street Department Project Timeline

Update, Compile, and Study Street Data (Complete)
Prioritize Streets based upon condition, use, and cost (March–April 2023)
Determine the extent of repairs on each prioritized area (March 2023)
Meet with PennDOT to develop Liquid Fuels Projects (April 13, 2023)
Infrastructure repairs and inlet replacement (May–October 2023)
Bid Materials and Labor (April 2023)
Award Bids (May 2023)
Initiate Pothole repair and paving project (April–October 2023)
Complete Projects (October 2023)
Line Painting (ongoing)

Long Term Repairs

Long-term repairs include contract paving and paving completed by City Staff. In 2021, 2,000 tons of asphalt material was applied to City streets. In 2022, 2,075 tons of asphalt were applied. In 2023, Phase I paving will include 2,243 tons of asphalt material.

2023 Summer Employment

The City of Pottsville is hiring for the following positions:

Lifeguards
Concession/Counter
JFK Pool Maintenance
Street/Parks Laborer

Applications are available at City Hall–City Clerk's Office or online at pottsvillepa.gov. Application deadline is May 1, 2023.

Garfield Square Redevelopment Project 402–406

The RFP can be found on pottsvillepa.gov.

Schedule of Events

RSVP for Pre-Proposal Conference (April 19)
Deadline for Re-Proposal questions (April 19)
Pre-proposal conference (April 25)
Proposals Due Date (May 16)
Review period begins (May 17)
Presentations, if required (May 22–June 2)
Estimated proposal selection date (July 19)
Court Approval (August 31)
Settlement with Buyer (September 30)

Original on pottsvillepa.gov →