Select Board to pursue Chapter-90-funded paving consultant to inventory roads and prioritize repairs

The Town of North Brookfield Select Board voted April 21 to pursue hiring a paving consultant using Chapter 90 funds to inventory the town’s Chapter 90 roads and produce a prioritized, multi-year plan for repairs.

Resident Roger Brooks described a program used in Sterling in which a consultant inspects roads with specialized equipment, measures road conditions in regular increments, evaluates drainage and ADA ramps, and assigns five treatment categories ranging from minor maintenance to full reconstruction. Brooks said the Sterling effort cost a little over $40,000 in 2024 and argued the study would allow the town to target work more cost-effectively and extend pavement life across many roads.

Board members discussed the approach, including options to core roads for subsurface data and to phase the work (a rolling 25% per year update). One member noted the town currently has about $800,000 available for pavement and emphasized that a consultant’s objective analysis could help maximize the use of Chapter 90 funds.

The motion to pursue the consultant and pay for it with Chapter 90 funds passed; the board instructed staff to research Sterling’s RFP and identify firms that provide the service.

Next steps: staff will draft an RFP for a road-condition study paid from Chapter 90 funds and return to the board with options and costs.