We know you have questions... and we have answers! Below are answers to our most frequently asked questions about road construction in Midland.

Q: WHY DO YOU START ONE PROJECT AND NOT FINISH BEFORE MOVING TO THE NEXT?

   • The City of Midland maintains over 650 miles of roadway. In order to keep up with that many roads, the City has to have multiple projects going on at the same time. In many cases, the City will stagger the start time of major roadway construction projects to allow the contractor(s) to begin utility work on a couple of projects. Once the utility work is complete, the repaving of the road can begin. At that time the City will typically begin new projects to work on the utilities for the next couple of projects on the priority list.

   • For other roads that need minor repairs and are only receiving a surface treatment, the City of Midland will do this work in clusters because these projects are simple and much faster to complete.

   • It should be noted that the City is not the only agency doing work around the City of Midland. Midland County, TxDOT, and developers are also reconstructing roadways throughout our community, but for the public it can be confusing on which entity is doing the road work.

Q: WHY DO SOME PROJECTS TAKE LONGER TO COMPLETE?

   • Below are factors that the City considers when determining whether a project is going to be a major or minor project. which correlates to the amount of time needed to complete the project:

         o Age of the road

         o Condition of the road

         o If underground utilities need to be replaced

         o If it is part of a storm drain system

         o Material that will be used to reconstruct the road (asphalt vs. concrete)

Q: WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE YOU TEAR THE ROAD UP AND THEN LEAVE IT WITH NOTHING BEING DONE?

   • We receive numerous complaints that "no work is being done," but it’s simply that the crew(s) have moved to another project until the current road is ready for the next step. Some projects require curing for concrete work or cure time for backfill material needed for the installation of utility pipes. These required steps take a couple of days, which gives the impression that work is not being done.

Q: WHY DON’T WE WORK ON ROADS OVERNIGHT TO GET THEM FINISHED QUICKER?

   • Roadwork at night is more expensive and difficult to do in the city because our roads are adjacent to residential areas. The noise as well as the lighting required for night work are very disruptive to neighboring residents. Quality, especially with asphalt paving and concrete placement, is an issue. No matter how much lighting is provided, it seems that inconsistencies result in the newly paved surfaces due to the shadows. These inconsistencies often become visible when the sun rises and visibility improves. At times it can also be difficult to acquire construction material for nighttime work. Asphalt paving during the winter is even more difficult at night due to colder temperatures. The ambient temperature must be 50 degrees and rising for asphalt placement.

   • Asphalt paving is somewhat seasonal. A roadway under construction may be ready for paving, but crews may not be present as we wait for the ambient temperature to rise.