Priority paving of roads (Atlanta, Roswell: real estate, how much, neighborhoods)

[Bergman]

Interesting how some roads in my region receive a total repave,
while roads nearby get nothing except the occasional pot hole patch job.
Especially interesting when road receiving complete repave is full of expensive real estate.

I'd like to think road repaves are always carried out without outside influence, yet living in the real world
with favoritism and corruption ever present, one becomes suspicious.

Take for recent example:

Kings Road in Woodstock/Roswell area.

Kings Road has lots of expensive real estate on and coming off it.
Why was complete repave prioritized for Kings Rd when so roads near/adjoining it remain unpaved and full of as many or more potholes and other road surface damage as Kings Rd was before the repave.
I suspect why, but be glad to have my suspicions refuted.

No one is going to say that a very wealthy, well-connected person with influence living along that street
had the connections to prioritize a road re-pavement, but someone will have excuses why it was paved before other roads close-by with just as much or more road surface damage.

If people don't get believable answers for "why" when they see this stuff, it will just be more of the same old, same old way of doing things.

[Mattie]

Maybe because it's a direct route to Roswell High School? Of course, your theory may be correct, it often works out that way.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by Mattie

Maybe because it's a direct route to Roswell High School? Of course, your theory may be correct, it often works out that way.

This.

There are many roadways that undoubtedly do get resurfaced because those routes are lined with the residences of powerful affluent residents who often will have the highest participation rates in government elections and often will give the highest amounts to political campaigns.

But despite the obvious use of road construction resources as political favors to the most powerful citizens that happens not just here in the U.S. but all over the world, Mattie makes an excellent point that a roadway like King Road is going to be a high priority for resurfacing because it is a direct route to Roswell High School.

[Citykid3785]

My neighbor is a county engineer, and although he doesn't work on the roads, he told me they absolutely have a database of ranking the roads. They come out and survey every so often, and from their they apply an algorithm that predicts when the road will be fully deteriorated (so they don't have to come out and check all the time). Obviously the algorithm is wrong often, and you CAN request that they come out to check the condition of the road.

There is also different types of materials used, and some roads have more layers of repaving than others. So some can be milled an resurfaced, while others need a complete redo

[Bergman]

When typing my OP, did mention that someone would mention RHS as possible reason Kings Rd complete repave may have been prioritized, but I edited it out because my OP was already to long. Yes RHS school buses and parents dropping off and picking up their teens do travel that route frequently. I pointed out, but edited out that it's interesting that Kings Rd got the deluxe repave, yet Cox Rd with as much or more potholes and rough patches as Kings Rd has had no repave to date. Will be interesting to see when other neighborhood roads get repaved, and if they get the deluxe repave treatment that Kings Rd received.

Next time you're on Kings Rd, take a close look at how cleanly the residents driveways mate with the Kings Rd repave. I seldom see this level of care taken on neighborhood repaves in this region (I've seen it in Beverley Hills and other affluent neighborhood in CA though). Note that Cox Rd is a key connecting road between 1-40 to Kings Rd.

The other item I deleted from OP, was someone might mention Kings Rd is but short drive, not just to RHS, but to Rt 92 and area drivers know what a rattler that roadway can be. Memorize where the most offensive rough road surfaces and potholes are on Rt 92 and put less wear and tear on your tires, alignment and suspension.

Until I hear a valid explanation, will remain suspicious that some road repaves are prioritized because
one or more people living near road to be repaved, have influence/coercion to make things happen that most of us do not.

[Bergman]

Citykid,

That algorithm just somehow missed Cox Rd, a key part of the connection: 1-40 > Cox Rd > Kings Rd > RHS/Trader Joes/Publix and Rt 92.

Stretch of 1-40 fairly recently received complete repave, but that is a major roadway crossing counties. That repave was appropriately prioritized given prior condition and volume of traffic that moves along it.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by Bergman

Citykid,

That algorithm just somehow missed Cox Rd, a key part of the connection: 1-40 > Cox Rd > Kings Rd > RHS/Trader Joes/Publix and Rt 92.

Stretch of 1-40 fairly recently received complete repave, but that is a major roadway crossing counties. That repave was appropriately prioritized given prior condition and volume of traffic that moves along it.

It probably should be noted that “1-40” is a state-owned route (Georgia State Route 140) whose maintenance and construction (including resurfacing) is paid for and prioritized by Georgia state government, not Roswell city government.

[Bergman]

"It probably should be noted that “1-40” is a state-owned route (Georgia State Route 140) whose maintenance and construction (including resurfacing) is paid for and prioritized by Georgia state government, not Roswell city government."

Yes aware of this, yet good distinction you point out though. Couple years back was visiting Switzerland and wow how much better maintained were their roadways. Different population densities, different tax structures, different military budget expenses just some of the reasons why.

[architect77]

Yes, glad someone pointed out the difference between State-maintained roads and city/county maintained.

The state has temporarily suspended the gas tax (federal 18.4 cents still added) to help with the high cost. That will have some effect on current and future maintenance.

If your road in question isn’t a state route then you might get action by appealing to the county or city’s public works dept.

Most of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Atlanta proper have roads with abysmal pavement too. High property taxes doesn’t guarantee more favoritism intown.

If I paid $10-30K property taxes I’d be demanding better pavement on my street. I often wonder why people tolerate it.

On the types of pavement and repairs, I’ve noticed that here in town they don’t mill way down and the topping asphalt is somewhat thin. Ponce got this about 5 years ago and it could use another already.