It's that time of year again: Highway officials are out scouting the city's 400 miles of roadway looking for cracks and potholes.
When they find problem areas, it will be easier to make repairs than in the past.
Haverhill will receive $1.5 million this year from the state to patch and pave local roads, said state Rep. Brian Dempsey, D-Haverhill.
The money, called Chapter 90 funding, is for the new fiscal year that begins July 1 and is $4,713 more than last year's record amount the state sent to Haverhill.
Statewide, the Legislature has approved $200 million for local road projects this summer. The bill was passed by the House last week and awaits final approval by the senate and governor.
Mayor James Fiorentini said city officials will finalize the list of roads to be patched and repaved within the next few weeks.
"Last year was a record year for Chapter 90 funding," Fiorentini said. "The fact that the Legislature was able to keep that funding and, in fact, increase it is very good news for cities and towns. For Haverhill, this means paving more streets. We hope to get to a record number streets this year."
The money is primarily for construction and preservation of local roads. It is awarded to communities based on three factors: Road miles, population and employment levels.
"I am pleased that during these challenging economic times, we are able to continue our commitment to addressing vital local transportation projects which will improve the quality of roads, create employment opportunities and stimulate economic activity in the city of Haverhill," said Dempsey, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Haverhill has nearly 400 miles of roads and about 61,000 residents. The city was awarded $1.49 million last year, an increase of $341,486 over the previous year.
The Chapter 90 program was enacted in 1973 to help cities and towns repair streets.
