2022 Road Resurfacing Project

***IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR R.J. SUOKKO- 8/8/23***

Dear Residents,

We have received your concerns and complaints regarding the poor performance by the resurfacing contractor, Doolittle Construction on a number of fronts including poor scheduling, many areas of subpar workmanship and overall lackluster work area cleanliness. 

Town staff and its inspector from Pavement Engineering Inc., have consistently demanded better follow through and improved performance for at least a month with limited results. To date we have documented over a hundred deficiencies that remain outstanding and will need to be addressed before we accept this project.

 As a government agency, we are required by the Public Contract Code to award contracts to the lowest responsible bidder and thus are unable to hand pick our preferred contractors for our projects. As a result of this low bid process, on occasion we do have to wrangle with contractors that are new to working in Town and fall short of their commitments on their first (or more) attempt and we have to follow the contractual process to give them due time to correct their deficiencies and then if they continue to fail to perform we then work directly with their bonding company to make sure the work is completed to our specifications, often by another contractor. 

We are currently in the process of formally demanding immediate action by Doolittle Construction and their bonding company to address these deficiencies and complete the work, but this process can take time. Meanwhile, in accordance with our specifications the contractor is being charged $1,500 for every day that the work remains incomplete as a small penalty for the inconveniences they have caused for our community. 

Please know that remediation efforts are coming, where appropriate, and the project is far from complete. 

Thank you for your patience and cooperation. 

Kind Regards, 
R.J. Suokko, PE

Please reach out to Public Works at dcopeland@tcmmail.org for any follow-up questions regarding this matter. 

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Status: 

Construction

Project Type(s):

Roadway, Storm System, Pedestrian, Traffic

Construction Schedule: 

Phase 1 was completed in December 2022. Phase 2 will begin construction on May 23, 2023. 

Current schedule is as follows and is subject to changes:

  • Aug 17 and ongoing: Contractor removing excess micro-surfacing and power washing off any spilled oil. Punch list work. 
  • Aug 23-25: Slurry Sealing and Micro-surfacing repair work. Up to four hour road closures with detours during work. There will be no street parking available during work from 7am to 5pm. (Click here to view the street by street schedule)
  • Aug 27-28, Aug 31-Sep 4, Sep 10-11: Sweepers cleaning all roads in project to pick up loose debris (please try to park vehicles off road from 8am to 5pm to allow for more thorough cleaning)

Project Description:

Marin Municipal Water District contacted the Town in March 2023 to request that the resurfacing project be postponed in Marin Estates neighborhood while the Water District completed urgent water main repairs. The paving work in Marin Estates will now be postponed until summer 2024 while MMWD completes their water main repairs. For more information about MMWD’s project, please see their project webpage here: https://www.marinwater.org/GranadaPipeline. 

The following roads will no longer be resurfaced as part of the 2022 Road Resurfacing Project:

  • El Camino Drive
  • Endeavor Drive (between Prince Royal Drive and Granada Drive)
  • Estrada Lane
  • Granada Drive (to Endeavor Drive)
  • Paloma Drive
  • Sonora Way
  • Vista Court

The Town rejected all bids after the project bid opening in July 2022, due to high bids received. As a result, the Town split the resurfacing project into two phases. Phase 1 includes all curb, gutter, sidewalk, ADA curb ramp, and storm drain work. Phase 2 will include all road work including asphalt resurfacing, road sealing, and striping, which will be bid in spring 2023. We appreciate your patience with the change in construction schedule.

In an ongoing effort to maintain the road network in Corte Madera, Public Works will be sealing and resurfacing various roadways listed below on the east side of Corte Madera. Work will include installing ADA curb ramps, improving drainage and making repairs to the storm system, installing new signage, refreshing striping, and other related work.

The Sanitary Disctrict No. 2 recently completed the 2021 Sewer Rehabilitation Project, which replaced sewer mains and lower laterals in Granada Park. The Town will now be resurfacing those roads as part of the 2022 Road Resurfacing Project. 

Phase 2 of the project will include resurfacing work on the following roads:

  • Buena Vista Ave (Sausalito to Sunnyside)
  • Cay Passage
  • Creekside Court
  • Ebbtide Passage
  • El Camino Drive
  • Endeavor Cove
  • Endeavor Drive (Granada to end)
  • Estrada Lane
  • Fairview Avenue
  • Foremast Cove
  • Granada Drive
  • Granada Park Parking Lot
  • Grove Avenue
  • Lanyard Cove
  • Madera Del Presidio Dr (Paradise to Wildflower)
  • Madrono Avenue
  • Madrono Court
  • Meadow Creek Drive
  • Morning Star Course
  • Nellen Ave (Fifer to Lucky)
  • Oakdale Ave (Willow to Chapman)
  • Paloma Drive
  • Parkview Circle
  • Pixley Avenue
  • Pleasant Avenue
  • Presidio Avenue
  • Prince Royal Drive (Paradise to Endeavor)
  • San Clemente Park Parking Lot
  • Sandpiper Circle
  • Sausalito Street (Buena Vista to end)
  • Seamast Passage
  • Sonora Way
  • Staghound Passage
  • Stetson Avenue (Chapman to Chapman)
  • Sunnyside Avenue
  • Town Park Parking Lot East
  • Town Park Parking Lot West
  • Tradewind Passage
  • Tunnel Lane
  • Vista Court
  • Willow Avenue (Tamalpais to Chapman)

This project is part of the Town’s Capital Improvement Program, which strives to rehabilitate the Sanitary District’s aging sewer infrastructure while also maintaining Town roadways.

The Town was awarded a $69,239 grant from CalRecycle to use recycled rubber tires in the cape seal treatment. The recycled tires are ground down into crumb rubber which is mixed into the chip seal layer of the road treatment. This rubber additive has been shown to improve the performance of the sealant and helps to prevent tires from ending up in the landfill.

As a resident request and with Council approval, Public Works will be using conventional “grey” aggregate in the micro surfacing top layer of the cape seal. Over time the lighter aggregate will provide a higher albedo road surface helping to reflect more light on hot days and to reduce heat island effect. This also provides a small cost savings as the conventional aggregate can be sourced locally and doesn’t need to be transported as far. Residents should note that the road sealant will initially be black due to the asphalt emulsion, but will lighten in color over time similar to new asphalt. 

Private Sewer Laterals:

For residents living on roads not included in the 2021 Sewer Rehabilitation Project and that have not recently tested or replaced their sewer lateral in the last 3 years, we recommend hiring a plumber to check the sewer lateral and make sure it is in good condition and will last a minimum of 5 years. Once the road resurfacing project is complete, there will be a minimum five-year road moratorium to prolong the life of the new pavement surface. During the moratorium period, residents who request an encroachment permit to cut into the road during that time must demonstrate that the work is necessary and must pay for extensive pavement restoration in an effort to maintain the road’s structural integrity, which can add significant cost to the lateral work.

Be advised that Sanitary District #2 requires that a sewer lateral inspection, which could lead to sewer lateral repairs or replacement, be conducted under the following circumstances:

  1. When a property is sold or when a transfer in property title occurs
  2. When $50,000 in property improvements are performed over a cumulative three year period
  3. If there is a sewer overflow malfunction or public health risk at the property

Residents are recommended to complete sewer lateral work in the road before May to avoid conflicts with the road resurfacing. The District will waive sewer and encroachment permit fees for property owners who are proactive in testing or replacing their sewer lateral prior to the upcoming capital improvement project.

Useful Links for Sewer Lateral Work

List of Pre-Qualified Sewer Contractors: https://www.townofcortemadera.org/DocumentCenter/View/3807/Pre-Qualified-Contractor-List-For-Public 

2018 Private Sewer Lateral Ordinance Information:

https://townofcortemadera.org/745/Private-Sewer-Lateral-Ordinance 

Available Grant Programs for Private Sewer Laterals:

https://townofcortemadera.org/774/Grant-Programs-for-Private-Sewer-Lateral 

Frequently Asked PSL Questions:

https://townofcortemadera.org/761/Frequently-Asked-Questions 

If you have questions regarding this project, please contact Chris Good at (415) 927-5794 or cgood@cortemadera.gov.