During the recent Lake Forest City Council meeting held on March 17, 2025, city officials discussed the annual resurfacing project, emphasizing the strategic approach taken to prioritize street maintenance. This year’s resurfacing plan is part of a broader effort to optimize the timing and methods of road treatments, which include resurfacing, crack filling, and patching.

City representatives explained that unlike some municipalities that resurface entire neighborhoods at once, Lake Forest adopts a more selective strategy. Streets are chosen based on their condition, with the goal of extending their lifespan and ensuring efficient use of city funds. The philosophy behind this approach is to perform maintenance at the "sweet spot"—not too early and not too late—thereby maximizing the effectiveness of the treatments applied.

The pavement management program consists of three main elements: resurfacing, preventive maintenance, and reconstruction. Resurfacing involves milling off and replacing the top three inches of asphalt, while preventive maintenance includes techniques like crack filling and patching. Reconstruction is a more extensive process that entails removing the pavement down to the stone base and rebuilding it.

To determine which streets require resurfacing, the city relies on a pavement management report generated every five years by a specialized consultant. This report utilizes advanced data collection methods, including a van equipped with sensors that assess the condition of approximately 110 to 120 miles of streets. Each street receives a score, known as the pavement condition index, which helps the city evaluate the overall health of its roadways.

Following the report, city engineers conduct field assessments to validate the data and collaborate with street operations staff to ensure that the resurfacing plan aligns with other capital improvement projects, such as water main or storm sewer upgrades. This thorough process aims to enhance roadway safety and extend the life of the streets, ultimately benefiting all users in the community.

As the city moves forward with its resurfacing program, officials are committed to maintaining transparency and efficiency in their decision-making processes, ensuring that residents are informed about the ongoing efforts to improve Lake Forest's infrastructure.