Pataskala will be full of activity in 2012, according to city administrator Tim Boland.

Many upgrades to the city’s infrastructure are planned, including water-system maintenance and sidewalk and pedestrian access. However, the most notable, and likely most visible, will be implementation of the city’s road-repairs plan, the Road Asset Management Plan, or RAMP. This year, $1.3 million of the planned road repairs will be financed in-house and $750,000 will be borrowed. The city plans to borrow $750,000 in 2013 for Broad Street repairs.

“It’s a transportation system that we’re trying to improve,” Boland said.

Pataskala service director BJ King said the $750,000 the city is borrowing this year is not earmarked for any particular project, although McIntosh Road is slated to receive $730,000 in upgrades.

He anticipates roadwork will begin in late spring or early summer and continue through the warm months.

“At this point, we don’t know the schedule for repairs,” King said. “We are in the process of soliciting qualification statements from engineers to design the projects. Once design and bidding occurs, we will work with the successful bidder to determine the schedule.”

For the 2012 RAMP, King prepared a priority list of Pataskala roads, a description of the work they require and the estimated costs.

The two “critical priority” roads were:

• Havens Corners Road, Phase I — Dixon Road to Summit Road, $1,046,000: This portion of Havens Corners Road has base failures that are widespread and warrant complete reconstruction, King said. The road carries a significant amount of traffic of commuting motorists. Reconstruction will include excavation and removal of the pavement and road base. A new base will be constructed and new pavement will be installed for a smooth driving surface. Repaving the road in its current condition would result in premature failure of the asphalt, King said, and would be a poor return on the city’s investment.

• Broad Street (state Route 16), the city portion of an ODOT repaving project in 2013, $750,000: This project will be completed in partnership with ODOT and will include improvements to Broad Street sidewalks and pedestrian access.

The “second-level safety” road was:

• McIntosh Road, chip seal, $730,000: McIntosh Road has experienced extensive base failure and cracking of the road surface. Estimated work includes reconstruction of 35 percent of the roadway base, including the edges, to increase the road’s structural integrity. A final course of chip seal will provide a smooth driving surface, King said. In addition, the road’s crown will be planed and the edges will be bermed.

The three “locally critical” roads were:

• Township Road, Phase I — state Route 16 to bridge, $84,000: The pavement will be milled out and resurfaced with a new layer of asphalt.

• John Reese Parkway — state Route 16 to Enos Loomis Street, $75,000: The pavement will be milled out and resurfaced with a new layer of asphalt.

• Laurel Lane (The Oaks), $240,000: The base failures are so severe that it’s necessary to reconstruct the entire road, King said. This project will include removal of the roadway base and asphalt. A new base will be constructed to provide adequate structural support followed by a final course of asphalt.

The three “neighborhood street program” roads were:

• High Street, Phase I — Second Avenue to railroad tracks, $99,000: This project includes removing asphalt, completing necessary base repairs and installing a new asphalt surface.

• Cedar Street (utility service upgrades) — South High Street to Maple Street, $42,000, and Front Street — Township Street to South High Street, $43,000: These two streets are included in the RAMP because they will be significantly damaged during a water- and sewer-line improvement project scheduled for late spring or early summer. The utility line improvements project will require cutting and removing portions of the existing asphalt to accommodate the installation of new lines. The improvements scheduled for the roads include removal of the existing asphalt and the installation of a new asphalt surface.

The two “maintenance” roads:

• The Taylor Glen and Kylemore subdivisions, $100,000: The roads in the subdivisions will receive crack sealing and micro-surfacing treatments to prevent further oxidation and deterioration of the roads. The asphalt on the roads in both subdivisions exhibit cracking and surface deterioration. Sealing the roads will prolong their life and preserve the base from water migration and freeze and thaw damage that commonly increases the rate of road deterioration and potholes, King said.

King said construction zones will be established as the work progresses, but he doesn’t anticipate any of the roads will be completely closed to traffic.

Boland said the city will use its website and other social media to update residents on the projects, where the construction zones are and places to avoid, if possible.

“The roadwork doesn’t begin and end with RAMP,” said King.

In addition to the RAMP projects, road crews will continue to complete in-house maintenance to city streets, such as patching, as necessary.

Although city council debated whether the city should’ve gone into debt to finance the project, Boland said, he is comfortable with council decision to finance the two installments of $750,000. He said the city has a total debt of $7.7 million in bonds, which is far less than the $32 million the state will allow it to absorb.

Other central Ohio cities, such as New Albany and Bexley, are very close to their limits and others are over, Boland said. That does not mean debt is fine because everyone else has it, he said.

“It illustrates that the city is living within its means,” Boland said.

He said he believes the debt financing is essential to complete the 2012 projects.

“It didn’t just start with the RAMP,” he said.

Boland said the city has completed major projects within the past five years, including fixing several bridges that were rated “poor.” He said the city will replace the McIntosh Road bridge this year, financed through a federal grant, which will be the last of the “poor” bridges. The replacement should take between 90 and 120 days and may involve some road closures.

Until 2010, Boland said, the city had no income tax to help with financing.

“We think we’ve made some pretty good strides,” Boland said.

He said the entire RAMP includes roughly $31 million in repairs and upgrades to Pataskala roadways over 10 years. It is the largest road project the city has ever envisioned.

“Ten percent is what we’re able to do this year,” he said. “The momentum will be there.”

Other infrastructure projects for this year include completing paving on the Kennedy Road and Stonemast Loop projects. Water-system maintenance projects include water-line replacement projects at Cedar, Vine and Jefferson streets; a state Route 310 water-line extension; hydrant replacements; and work on the city’s booster station and water tower.

Wastewater-system maintenance projects include lift station upgrades; manhole rehabilitation; and sewer-line replacements.

Sidewalk and pedestrian access enhancements are planned. These include two phases of Safe Routes to School initiative in June and sidewalk repair and replacement in the Old Village area.

“There are going to be improvements that touch everybody,” King said. “It’s going to be such a positive year in the city.”