Roadway Maintenance and Care

One of our main projects is to continuously improve the safety and longevity of our roadways. Much work has been done and we will continue to maintain and clear the areas within approximately 10 feet of our roadways. This involves clearing brush and trees, cutting back the tree canopies and mowing. Each job that we do in this project is for specific reasons and they come full circle to the integrity of our roadways.

Brush, bushes and trees are cleared to avoid overgrowth that can cause drainage issues, damage to the roadway via root systems and visual obstructions to drivers and pedestrians. It in turn allows us to easily access and maintain our culverts and ditches for proper drainage. Tree canopies are trimmed to avoid visual obstructions and to allow the sunlight through to the roadway. This gives the roads a better chance to melt in the winter months by increasing the roadways temperature and dry in the rainy season so they are more manageable. Sunlight on our roadways greatly increases the integrity and longevity of our roadways which in turn translates to major cost savings. In the long run this approach will save money, man hours and the extended use of our equipment while reducing our use of gravel, fill and hard pack.

Seasons:

As we all know, New England has very unpredictable weather. We have spring temperatures in winter, winter weather in spring, summer temperatures in the fall, spring rain in winter and so much more! The weather determines our response. With that being said the following is a very general breakdown as to what the Highway Department does throughout the year.

Winter:
Plowing is broken down into 5 to 6 plow routes depending on the size of the storm. Our school bus routes and any emergency response by Fire, Police and Ambulance take priority. Since every storm is different the timing of what we do and when we do it changes. Generally, our winter involves plowing, salting, sanding, hauling material, clearing ice buildup from culverts, road and pothole repair, dirt road repair and tree trimming.

Tree Trimming Maintenance

Stepping outside after a winter storm can feel magical, especially when everything is muffled under a fresh layer of snow. But when a storm has been particularly severe and snow and ice have accumulated, it’s a different story. Tree trimming is essential for everyone’s safety in the winter months. The Conway Highway Department will trim any trees that overhang the road or impede the ease of passage of snow removal equipment. The Conway Highway Department also completes tree maintenance throughout the year.

Spring:
Spring is known as mud season but can come at any time. Our dirt roads are a focus this time of year due to the rain this time of year along with the snow and frost melt. Since every season is different each year what we do and when we do it changes. Generally, our spring involves road and pothole repair, dirt road repair, grading, road paving, culvert and shoulder clean up, mowing, weed whacking and tree trimming.

Summer:
This time of year our focus continues to be our roadways. Since every season is different each year what we do and when we do it changes. Paving projects continue into the summer months along with dirt road grading and repair, culvert and shoulder clean up, culvert replacement, road and pothole repair, mowing, weed whacking and tree trimming.

Fall:
This time of year is when we begin preparing for winter. Since every season is different each year what we do and when we do it changes. Our preparations involve culvert and waterway clean up, grading and repair of dirt roads, road and pothole repair, mowing, weed whacking and tree trimming.

We would like to thank the residents for their unwavering support!