Maintenance Committee: Streets

Niguel Shores Community Association has about 13 miles of asphalt streets. The Maintenance Department is responsible for the long-term health of these streets, and this maintenance is one of the largest reserve items that NSCA covers. A multiyear street-by-street plan is updated annually to predict future expenses and to plan for street maintenance activities.
Asphalt, a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid form of petroleum, is used as a glue or binder mixed with mineral aggregate particles (stones) to create “asphalt concrete, AC.” The principal causes of pavement deterioration are traffic, ground water and ground movement. At NSCA, three types of maintenance reduce these effects:
■ Asphalt Concrete Overlays are programmed on a 30-year basis. These are relatively expensive and involve grinding away the top 1.5 to 2 inches of pavement, applying Petromat, a paving geotextile fabric, and new AC. NSCA completed its first overlay program of the entire site in 2013. The next program for the entire site will begin in 2027.
■ Sealcoat or pavement sealer is a protective coating for AC pavements. Sealcoat is much like the paint used to protect wood from the environment. Since pavements wear, a sealcoat is utilized in order to bind the exposed aggregate. Seal coats are programmed on a 5 to 7 year interval. Our most recent sealcoat project was completed in 2015.
■ AC and PCC, Portland Cement Concrete, repairs are planned on an annual basis to remediate damage caused by tree roots, sinkholes, construction and other effects on the street.
Working with a pavement expert consultant, the Maintenance Department is identifying the 2017 pavement maintenance requirement. This work will be done during the summer months.
—Bob Gregg