Director of Public Works Fred Hurley unveiled the 2023-2024 Road Work Plan at the July 17 Board of Selectmen meeting, detailing anticipated road repairs, drainage projects, and paving across town.

“We’re actually already underway with the milling on Toddy Hill and Botsford,” said First Selectman Dan Rosenthal.

The town has budgeted $3 million for roads this fiscal year, but the roadwork budget is getting a considerable boost from Aquarion. After its contractors excavated a number of roads this year and last for a sewer extension project, the utility is reimbursing the town for repaving the damaged road surfaces.

“Aquarion gave us a big chunk of dough,” said Hurley. “A lot of the costs are being borne by the contributions from Aquarion.”

Hurley said the Aquarion project is why a lot of the town’s road work this year is set in that area of Sandy Hook’s Alpine Road.

“The roads are all ripped up in the Alpine area,” said Hurley. “This is an opportunity to put that area back together the way it should be.”

He also said there is a “lot of drainage work” being done in relation to old sewer projects, in areas including Diamond Drive, Taunton Lake Drive, and Mt Pleasant Road from where it intersects with Diamond Drive.

“What we are finding is that we’re coming up on 25 to 30 years since these roads were paved,” said Hurley. “We’re going back through the old sewer contracts, contract by contract, and emphasizing work in those areas.”

One big project is being completed on Botsford Hill and Toddy Hill roads, which are both being paved. Hurley also said the town is trying to target roads that receive a lot of traffic because they are connector roads, such as Tunnel Road.

“We’re doing some serious work this year,” said Hurley.

The current list for this year, which includes 14 miles of roadwork, includes milling and paving on sections of Alpine Drive, Bancroft Drive, Engleside Drive, sections of Forest Drive, Ironwood Drive, Poplar Drive, Watch Hill Road, and Underhill Road; for reclaim and pave: sections of Alpine Drive, and Alpine Circle; for overlays: Bankside Trail; Beacon Drive, Bungalow Terrace, Capitol Drive, Cypress Trail, Hilldale Drive, Long View Terrace, Locust Lane, Rosemere Drive, Roundhill Road, and Shadblow Trail; and an overlay with retaining wall project at Forest Drive.

Drainage projects are scheduled to be completed on Mountain Laurel Lane, Ridge Road and Valley View (upper half) — including a mill and pave, Taunton Lake Drive and Wendover Road.

Full length paving is planned for Blackman Road, Botsford Hill Road, Commerce Road, Diamond Drive, Jordan Hill, Megans Circle, Nelson Lane, Old Green Road, Orange Pippin, Patricia Lane, Russett Road, Saw Mill Road, Stonewall Ridge, Sturges Road Turnaround, Toddy Hill Road, and Tunnel Road.

Patch paving is planned for Hattertown Road, Meadow Woods, Poverty Hollow Road, and Scudder Road.

Rosenthal noted that the costs projected for the roadwork tended to be “a little on the high side” since the town did not want to “overpromise and under deliver.” If the existing roads in the plan come in under budget, Hurley said that additional roads could be added to this year’s work list.

“At the end, we’ll look at our piggy bank and see what’s left,” said Hurley. “We may do some additional resurfacing. We’re not in bad shape overall.”

Hurley said that there is “another whole list” of roads waiting to have roadwork. It may have cost the town $5 million to get through the entire list.

“We have no shortage of candidates,” said Hurley.

Associate Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.