The City of Hobbs contracted with the company StreetScan, Inc. (StreetScan) in order to assist in the creation of a budgeting tool and assessment of the roads in Hobbs. StreetScan is known for automated continuous roadway health monitoring that preserve team resources and funding.
The purpose of the study was to assess the needs of road repairs and prioritize the repairs based on the use levels as well as current conditions of the roads.
The roads were scanned by a vehicle equipped with one 2D camera and one 3D camera, collecting the necessary data, in only 4 days. The data was then processed to produce results of the pavement condition index (PCI) for each street and pavement distresses. The report was complete in January 2022; of the 227 miles of paved streets, the average PCI rating was 57 or on the lower end of “fair condition.”
The following issues of distress and frequency of these issues were identified for data processing:
- Potholes (6%)
- Alligator cracks (63%)
- Crack seal (24%)
- Block cracks (27%)
- Longitudinal and trans. Cracks (78%)
- Bumps and surface distortions (78%)
- Patches (23%)
Main causes of distress to these areas are suspected to be the age of the roads, weather, increase in population in the community, and the use of heavier trucks and trailers on roads not designed for their weight yet common to the industries in the area. State-designated highways were also included in this study, and the maintenance of these roads is dependent upon several different factors between the State of New Mexico and City of Hobbs.
Recommendations for improvement include crack seal/surface treatment for 58 miles (twenty-six percent) of roads, mill and overlay for 87 miles (thirty-eight percent) of roads, and reconstruction for sixty-five miles (twenty-eight percent) of roads. The total cost for repairs will be approximately $177.6 million.
City Manager Manny Gomez stated, “This assessment is critical in staff’s future planning of road construction and repairs in our community. The need is no surprise to us, and with so many areas needing attention, Staff presented the idea of this assessment for a most effective use of their time and resources as well as taxpayer dollars. Our roads will not all be corrected and improved within one year or even two, but it will be a guided, informed process. I commend staff on their initiative and forward-thinking.”
For more information regarding this study, you may email the City of Hobbs at [email protected] or call (575)391-4169.
