BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI
North Country This Week

CANTON — Asphalt prices continue to rise and St. Lawrence County officials are looking to get the most bang for the buck to replace and repair the county’s highways.

During the Board of Legislature’s Finance Committee meeting on June 27, officials approved a resolution to spend an extra $300,000 from the county fund balance to pave an additional 10 miles of county highway.

County highway superintendent Don Chambers made the request, with the amended resolution and budget change bringing the total expense to $2.11 million dollars.

“We had originally budgeted and planned to pave 34.65 miles of county roads but the additional $300,000 will allow us to pave 10 more miles,” Chambers told the committee.

Chambers also recommended that the paving come from recycled road materials, a process that can be covered by CHIPS funds.

The move comes as county officials seek to jump start the paving schedule for 2022 and maximize efforts, while maintaining the budget.

Chambers detailed the rising cost of asphalt, which has complicated planning, saying that the cost per ton was $55.62 in March and has since risen to $71.32 per ton in July.

“It’s difficult to maintain budgets with the price increases. Unfortunately, that’s where we’re at,” he said.

Chambers said the cost has risen 5-10% each month, with no real end in sight.

Chambers said the decision to recycle the 10 miles of roads will allow them to stay under budget and will allow them to complete the projects quickly.

“This will in effect give you ten more miles of newly paved roads that are in desperate need of repair,” he said.

To date, 573 miles of county highways have been paved using CHIPs funds, Chambers said.

Despite concerns from some legislators, including John Burke who questioned whether using the funds is the right move, Chambers informed the committee that it simply isn’t enough.

According to Chambers, most highways are being paved at 21-22 year intervals with the funding, while in actuality the highways should be repaired or replaced at 10-12 year cycles.

“Right now we’re at a deficit when it comes to our paving schedule,” Chambers said.

He told the committee that such moves will allow the department to pave more roads each year.

The amended resolution passed unanimously through the committee.