Infrastructure committee prioritizes road list, readies RFPs and paving specs for budget season

The Town of Wayne infrastructure committee spent a large portion of its meeting updating road priorities, reviewing paving specifications and planning procurement steps for the coming budget season.

Brian volunteered to work with town staff to rewrite paving specifications and to produce RFP templates, drawing on Local Roads templates and example specifications. "The most expensive way to do it is we react to whatever road is needed," a committee paving lead said, arguing for a more proactive maintenance approach that can extend road life and reduce long‑term cost. Members agreed to update unit costs, lengths and surface depths for each candidate road so the committee can produce near‑term cost estimates based on recent bids.

The committee confirmed a priority list of roads for reclamation and paving and recommended estimating three projects per year as a planning assumption, while allowing flexibility depending on available funds. Members debated pay‑as‑you‑go funding versus bonding; several urged preparing both cost scenarios so the select board can consider the financing tradeoffs.

Shannon said contract expirations for sweeping and roadside mowing are upcoming and that the committee will circulate RFP drafts for review by email. The infrastructure committee set a follow‑up meeting for March 23 at 9:30 a.m. to review final RFPs, bridge and dam cost estimates and a proposed five‑ to six‑year maintenance schedule before forwarding recommendations to the select board.

Next steps: Brian and Shannon will circulate draft RFPs and updated paving specs by email; committee members will provide comments and the committee will finalize RFPs at the March meeting.