How does Alexander Hamilton do it? 260 years old, and his skin is smooth as a baby's bottom, or at least it is now, since Hamilton Ave. got resurfaced. And now I hear that Alex may be getting hitched up with a lady friend of considerable distinction on the ten dollar bill. And check out his jazzy sidewalks that dance around tree trunks.
Cars and bikes will founder no more on our founding father's potholes, now that they've been shaved down and covered over with a silky layer of blacktop. Our car tires made a different sound while rolling over this dream surface, and at least one roadside resident has noted a marked improvement in sleep.
During the anguished discussions over whether to include bikelanes as part of the renovation (thanks for the democracy, Alex!), some questioned how many bicyclists would actually use the street. Once word gets around, even those who haven't been in the habit of biking will dig their bikes out of the back of the garage, pump up the tires and take a spin, just to experience true smoothness.
And the detailing. Smooth grading around stormwater outlets makes a big difference for bicyclists hugging the curb.
It looked like the job was contracted out. I was surprised to hear that public works crews sometimes do these resurfacings, and that doing the work in-house can cut the considerable cost in half. But it depends on whether the necessary skill sets are present among the staff, and whether the town's road equipment is in good repair. The extra expense, it's been asserted, might be worth it if a contractor who specializes in road resurfacing does a better job that lasts longer. I saw town staff out there in the early stages, repairing the stormwater outlets. Maybe it was a mix of in-house and contracted work.
In any case, congratulations to Alex on a facelift worthy of a Founding Father.
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