Pittsburgh to spend $18 million to resurface over 30 miles of roads

Pittsburgh officials on Thursday said the city’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure this week began the 2023 milling and paving season, which will see about 32 miles of city streets resurfaced.

The city is investing over $18 million in the street resurfacing program, which supports asphalt street resurfacing and ADA curb ramp upgrades on paved streets throughout the city.

City officials on Thursday said nearly 32 miles of streets will be resurfaced through the city’s efforts this year, with additional streets resurfaced through cooperative agreements with local public utilities.

Mechanical patching and crack sealing will improve “many more miles,” city officials said, as crews aim to address trouble spots on streets that are otherwise acceptable. The measure is meant to help stretch the city’s tax dollars, officials said.

The city’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure is responsible for more than 1,000 miles of roadway. The department works with community groups, council members and the city’s nonemergency 311 line to identify potential issues in road conditions.

City engineers create a yearly list of roads that need to be prioritized based on its physical condition. Once the condition of a street has passed a certain threshold, it is given priority on the paving list.

Other factors — like how frequently the street is used — are also considered in the prioritization. DOMI also takes into consideration the need to improve the condition of roads in historically underserved communities, officials said.

The city last year spend more than $12.5 million on street resurfacing, which was done on about 39 miles of city streets.

Once a street is resurfaced, DOMI works with city crews or other contractors to restore — or improve — pavement markings.

They also will add new ADA curb ramps along repaved streets. Officials estimated that the city will update about 1,200 curb ramps this year.

Non-asphalt streets — including those made of concrete, brick and blockstone — also are included in the city’s paving program. DOMI aims to repair those streets in an effort to preserve those long-lasting materials. In order to convert a street made of concrete, brick or blockstone to asphalt, City Council must first approve the change.

Streets that are slated for repaving will be posted weekly on DOMI’s website.