A long-awaited project to resurface the eroded streets of New Bern’s Duffyfield community is expected to wrap up this week, with the final paving work beginning today.
According to City Manager Foster Hughes, contractors milled off the top layer of asphalt on the roadways last week and finished the fine grading work Tuesday. The paving process began this morning and was expected to be completed by the end of the day Thursday, Hughes said.
The resurfacing is taking place on the following streets in Duffyfield:
-Main Street from Eubanks to Bloomfield Street
-Washington from Clark to Garden Street
-Raleigh from Garden to East Rose Street
-Myrtle from Goldsboro to Mechanic Street
The resurfacing work is being done by Barnhill Contracting Company of Jacksonville, who came in with a low bid of $200,000.
Prior to the city’s resurfacing work, the Water Resources Department completed upgrades to underground water and sewer infrastructure in Duffyfield that had degraded over the years and was beginning to fail, according to George Chiles, director of Public Works.
Chiles said the road work will significantly improve the quality of Duffyfield’s streets, many of which had worn down to less than an inch of asphalt cover. He said the roadways will end up with a 2-inch final paving when the resurfacing project is finished.
“So we’re talking long-term, 25 years for new infrastructure underground and a new surface coat that should extend the life and our need to go back into those areas and do repairs,” Chiles told the New Bern Board of Aldermen last month.
By Todd Wetherington, co-editor. Send an email with questions or comments.