The city of Haverhill is doubling its crews and equipment to patch potholes on city streets now that it has received additional state funding for road repairs.
The city is leasing two additional pothole “hot box” units used to heat asphalt patch material and assigned two additional crews from the highway department to increase its pothole repair. Cost details were unavailable by deadline.
“The winter was harsh to our roads and it is a priority of my administration to address the potholes in our city as quickly as possible. Maintaining safe roads for our residents is a priority and the DPW is doing their best to get our streets back in good condition,” said Mayor James J. Fiorentini.
Haverhill residents are being encouraged to report problem potholes through the city’s website, www.ci.haverhill.ma.us. Since Wednesday, respondents have reported such potholes on Montvale Avenue near Bradford Elementary School, Broadway and Forest Street.
Last month, Haverhill received $225,241 under a $30 million Winter Recovery Assistance Program (WRAP) launched by Governor Charles D. Baker. It assists cities and towns with repairs to roads and bridges under municipal jurisdiction.
The $30 million was allocated from the existing fiscal 2015 bond authorization for the department. While the WRAP is separate from the state’s Chapter 90 program, the funds will be distributed to cities and towns based on the Chapter 90 formula to ensure equity. The formula considers a weighted average of a city or town’s population, employment and total mileage of roads.
Under WRAP, cities and towns may seek reimbursement of expenditures related to patching potholes, pavement cracking, surface defects and paving projects; repair or replacement of damaged signs, guardrail and storm drains; and line striping.
To accelerate local repairs, the WRAP requires all work on municipal infrastructure to be completed by June 30, and for all work invoices to be provided to the state by July 31.