Roads are made up of many layers that can't be seen, such as the sub base and drainage pipe. They also includes layers of asphalt called the road surface. When the asphalt layer develops holes, cracks, or other problems, but the layers underneath are still stable, the Highway Department performs surface repairs. Performing surface repairs not only ensures that the traveling public has a safe, passable route as quickly as possible; it also prevents the road from further deterioration, which could lead to costlier repairs.

In addition to performing surface repairs, the highway department annually targets roads for preventative maintenance, identifying roads that will need reinforcement to delay heavier reconstruction.

Properly maintaining the streets and drainage systems includes basic cleaning. Sweeping the streets removes dirt and debris and creates a better environment for motorists and pedestrians alike.

Sweeping begins in the spring with the post winter Spring Cleanup and ends in the winter when the water sprayed on the roads for dust control will turn to ice, creating its own hazard.

Stamford is a city that funnels thousands of commuters in and out of its borders every day. Its downtown welcomes shoppers, diners, and patrons of the arts. The pedestrian population relies heavily on the 1,000,000 feet of asphalt, concrete, and brick sidewalks to get them to their destinations safely.

Like the road system, the sidewalks suffer from wear and tear as well as more significant problems. The highway department address safety issues associated with sidewalks until they can be replaced by capital reconstruction projects. projects.

Basins with grates catch all the water from the road and in the earth that can damage the roads and cause flooding. The pipes then funnel this water out to various safe drainage points throughout the city.

When this system isn't working correctly, the roads can become flooded, and portions of road can heave or collapse. Like any plumbing in your home, the road drainage system can become clogged with debris. The Highway Department has special equipment that is used to vacuum out the debris or push it through with water blowing into the system at a high velocity, like a fire hose.

Sometimes, if this doesn't work, a pipe or catch basin may have collapsed. The Highway Dept. will notify the proper agency so they can schedule to rebuild or replace the basin or open the road to cut and replace the damaged pipe. This process also occurs when a septic or water line fails, but these systems are maintained by other agencies that have special equipment and processes to handle their particular issues.

Rural roads have trees, brush, weeds and grass that can grow and infringe on or overtake portions of road. Cleaning the brush and overgrowth also improves the sightlines at intersections and for residents coming out of their driveways.

While these items are not directly in the road, they are in the right-of-way, which is approximately 25' from the center of the road. This area is the City's responsibility to maintain in order to keep the roads safe.

Guide Rail Repair

Guide Rail keeps vehicles from veering off the road into deadly areas such as quick drop-offs or buildings at sharp corners. There are two types of guide rail. The first is wooden guide rail. While this system tends to have more aesthetic value, depending on location, it is far costlier and less reliable, and therefore not a standard system used in Stamford.

Galvanized metal guide rail, which is the cheaper, more effective type of rail, is an uninterrupted line of metal that comes between the driver and danger. The Highway Department contracts out the replacement, repair, or improvement of guide rail every year.

Post and Cable systems are no longer installed in most cases.