ROUTE 30 Brattleboro-Newfane Roadway Reclaim Project

Overview:
Rehabilitation of Vermont Route 30 is underway between Brattleboro and Newfane, beginning at Cedar Street in Brattleboro and extending northerly for approximately 10 miles to just north of Brook Street in Newfane. This project also includes ledge stabilization in one location in Dummerston.

Overview of the Reclaim Process:
Full-depth reclamation of asphalt pavement, also referred to as FDR, is a rehabilitation method that involves recycling existing asphalt pavement and its underlying layer(s) into a new base layer. The process begins with milling a desired depth of the existing asphalt surface, pulverizing the remaining asphalt pavement and a portion of the underlying base, subbase, and/or subgrade, grading the roadway, and adding gravel. Then a second reclaim pass is made, uniformly blending the roadway subbase and adding gravel with additional stabilizing material (such as emulsified asphalt and cement) to provide an upgraded, homogeneous material. Finally, the stabilized material is compacted in place with rollers, and then the new roadway subbase is paved with one base layer of recycled asphalt pavement, an intermediate layer of asphalt pavement, and a final (wearing course) layer. Pavement treatments may vary by project depending on traffic volumes and the types of traffic present (light, heavy, truck, etc…)

“Why do they use so much gravel?”
The amount of gravel varies from project to project and is used for a variety of reasons. The primary use of additional gravel is to raise the road surface and adjust for banking in curves to meet current design standards for the posted speed limit. Gravel can also be used to supplement a lesser-quality existing road base to provide a stronger internal structure that prolongs the life of the road.

“Why can’t the road be done in sections? Why does the whole length of the project have to be torn up?”
In order to maintain the integrity of the subbase of the roadway, the entire width, and often the entire length of the roadway must be done at the same time. Reclaiming only one-half of the roadway at a time can compromise the subbase at the longitudinal joint. Segmenting the roadway is possible, but can pose logistical issues, oftentimes leading to longer project durations and higher costs. Various operations take longer than others to complete and are difficult to stagger. As a result, additional mobilization is often required, causing project delays.

“How long will the road be torn up?”
Work for this project is scheduled for completion in mid to late October of 2023. Operations for this project and currently anticipated general time frames for operations project-wide:
• Roadway reclaim (continuing through July, progressing north)
• Adding gravel to the roadway subbase (continuing through July, south to north)
• Grading and correcting roadway elevation deficiencies (continuing through July, south to north)
• Second-pass reclaim (beginning late May on the southern end of the project and progressing north)
• Paving of base courses of asphalt (as early as mid-June on the southern end of the project and progressing north)
• Paving of the intermediate course of asphalt (August)
• Paving of the final (wearing) course of asphalt (late August-early Sept.)
• Signage, roadway markings, guardrail, and remaining project work (mid-Sept. through October)

“Who should I contact if I have questions?”
Please contact Natalie Boyle, Public Information Consultant, with questions or concerns, to receive project updates and alerts, and to remain informed of the progress on the project and what to expect.
Contact Information:
Natalie Boyle
nboyle@eivtech.com
(802) 855-3893