Wildwood Completes Asphalt Rejuvenation Ahead of Schedule

City of Wildwood officials have announced the completion of asphalt rejuvenation for the current fiscal year. Despite weather and equipment delays, the city’s contractor completed the work ahead of schedule and within budget.

The largest project of its kind in Wildwood’s history, this round of treatment encompassed approximately 868,000 square yards of asphalt, with a contract price of approximately $1 million.

“Several years ago, we implemented a pavement management plan that incorporates measurable data to determine the optimal timing and treatment for each city-maintained roadway,” said Public Works Director Jeremy Hockenbury. “With more than 150 centerline miles of pavement under our jurisdiction, and more being added every year, we needed a scientific approach that would maximize the taxpayers’ investment in our infrastructure. The system we adopted is already paying off and we expect that to continue long into the future as these roads age.”

Emphasizing quality as well as longevity, the city set a goal of maintaining an average Pavement Condition Index (PCI) network rating of 82 based on a standardized scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best or new). Each road segment is monitored, with its condition carefully analyzed by both city staff and engineers to provide quantifiable information fed into a specialized algorithm.

That algorithm determines the appropriate management steps for each segment. Treatments include not only traditional mill and overlay, full-depth reclamation, and micro surfacing, but also newer maltene replacement and photo catalytic technologies. Each offers advantages for specific situations.

“The quality of our streets is one of the things that sets Wildwood apart,” said City Manager Jason McHugh. “We have taken a much more proactive approach to maintaining the quality of our pavement than many other communities, and I believe that is among the factors making Wildwood such an attractive landing spot for the thousands of people moving to this region every year.”

While rejuvenation treatments have concluded for FY 2025, Hockenbury assures residents that his team is not neglecting other streets within its jurisdiction.

“Our plan is comprehensive,” he said. “We budget every year to perform this type of maintenance and will be starting another round of treatments in the fiscal year that begins in October. Meanwhile, we have other road projects underway and always respond to issues that require immediate attention. I ask every resident to report problems to us as soon as possible so we can rectify them before they get worse.”

The public can report street concerns by phone at 352-330-1343 during business hours or via the city’s web form, https://www.wildwood-fl.gov/publicworks/webform/report -complaint, at any time.