Site work and paving for a road / highway in Amherst, Massachusetts. Completed plans call for site work for a road / highway; and for paving for a road / highway.

https://www.amherstindy.org/2025/06/27/little-relief-in-sight-for-amhersts-roads/ Town engineer Jason Skeels estimates that to improve Amherst’s Pavement Condition Index (PCI) above the current average of 62 or “fair” would require an additional allocation of $5 million per year toward road resurfacing. See related: The State of Amherst’s Roads is Fair. Town Faces $42 Million Repair Backlog He notes that in recent years town contributions have varied between $500,000 and $1,000,000. Local funds have been augmented by roughly $800,000 in annual Chapter 90 funding for public ways from the state. Since 2024 Amherst has also received additional Chapter 90 support averaging about $200,000 from Massachusetts Fair Share apportionments. This level of expenditure typically allows the Department of Public Works (DPW) to repave 2-3 miles of the town’s 104 miles of roadway per year. Skeels estimates that if Amherst continues to invest this little in road maintenance, the town’s average PCI will fall from 62 to 40 by 2034. This would put Amherst’s average road condition in the ‘very poor” category. The Town Manager’s FY26 Capital Improvement Program calls for $775,665 to be spent out of Cash Capital for road repair, in line with the historical spending amount. There is hope that a proposed 50% increase in state Chapter 90 funding could bring in an additional $400,000 or so, but this boost is both uncertain and insufficient to meet Amherst’s needs. Further dimming the prospect for systemwide improvement of Amherst roads is a recently introduced drain on Cash Capital – the Jones Library renovation-expansion project. The Town Council and Town Manager have deemed partially demolishing, renovating and expanding the library at an estimated project cost of $46.1 million to be a priority. Paying back loans for the project has been projected to cost the town $1.25 million in annual tax revenues for the next 20 years. By comparison, Concord, a town of 18,500 people 75 miles east of Amherst, has 108 miles of road – similar to Amherst’s 104 – and uses the same StreetScan pavement management program. Concord maintains a road condition index of 73, to Amherst’s 62. According to Massachusetts Division of Local Services data, Concord spent $5,203,196 on public works in FY24 while Amherst spent $1,953,234 during the same period. Still dissatisfied by the condition of its roads, Concord Town Meeting approved a debt exclusion on June 2 that would invest $5.5 million in annual road maintenance for the next five years by a vote of 347-28. --------------------------- Hot Mix Asphalt Complete and In-Place The Town of Amherst reserves the right to reject any and all bids in whole or in part, and to waive informalities, when at its sole discretion is deemed to be in the best interests of the Town and to the extent permitted by law. Question Deadline 06/13/2025 at 1:00 PM ET Questions and inquiries will be accepted from any and all bidders and must be in writing. All questions shall be emailed to Simone Cristofbri at cristoforis@amherstma,gov.