Yorktown Compiles Database of Best and Worst Roads

For the first time, Yorktown has created a road-conditions inventory that will serve as a guide to prioritize work on the town’s most deteriorated streets.

The inventory is posted on the town’s website and it rates the town’s roads from 1 for the best to 10 for the worst. The database was created by Highway Superintendent Dave Paganelli.

“We work on our roads every day. Even in the winter, we can patch roads because the town invested in a hot box that keeps asphalt warm,” said Paganelli. “I plan on doing the 10s first.”

Yorktown’s officials allocated $1,150,000 to repave the town’s roads this fiscal year. The spending is 4.55 percent more than last year’s allocation.

“Databases are critical to helping town officials and planners make informed decisions about where to invest in improvements. Thanks to the work of our Highway Superintendent, we have a document that can guide how future federal and state funds can be used to improve our community,” said Supervisor Slater.

The inventory reveals that most of Yorktown’s roads are in the good to best range. The Highway Department is responsible for paving and patching all of Yorktown’s 400+ miles of roads.

“It’s great that we targeted this area,” Councilman Tom Diana said of New Road, which received a 10 rating. “It is one of the worst roads. It’s not because of the number of houses on the road or because it’s election time, it’s because the road needs to be repaired.”

Superintendent Paganelli began discussions about creating the roads inventory a year ago with Supervisor Matt Slater and Comptroller Patricia Caporale.

“It’s great to see the Highway Department do this project and get us where we need to be,” said Councilman Ed Lachterman. “It’s important to realize that it’s not just the condition of the road, as much as the traffic on the road. As we witnessed, we had 40 cars pass us by while having a press conference on this.”

One of the town’s worst stretches of roads is 3,501 feet of Baptist Church Road, which will require 1,095 tons of asphalt to repave. The town’s annual road paving traditionally begins after the school year ends in late-June to avoid school-traffic congestion.

“I’m here to support our Highway Superintendent Dave Paganelli and our Highway Department and I thank them for all the work they do,” said Town Clerk Diana Quast at today’s press conference.

Photo caption for Bad Road: The intersection near 1350 New Road in Shrub Oak, one of Yorktown’s roads with the worst surface conditions. Photo courtesy Town of Yorktown.

Photo caption for Group: Left to right: Supervisor Matt Slater, Superintendent Dave Paganelli, Councilman Ed Lachterman and Councilman Tom Diana at an intersection on New Road, one of the worst roads in Yorktown on May 14, 2021. Photo courtesy Town of Yorktown.