Thousands of roads across Baltimore County will be scanned by workers with a 3D laser for the first time to better understand roadway conditions. The county expects to use the data to target the roads in the worst condition for upcoming repairs. The move is to ensure the county is prioritizing roads in an objective way instead of simply driving along to gauge the quality of roads.
But Baltimore County Council members still want a say over which potholes are ultimately filled and whether roads get repaved.
Each year, county workers typically take a long drive and rate the condition of roadways based on their experiences.
Kristina Lewis, a contract specialist with the county’s office of information technology, told the county council that approach is subjective and using the 3D laser will change that.
“This analysis will allow the county to prioritize spending and pave the most critical areas first,” Lewis said.
Council members hear plenty from constituents complaining about county roads. They have referred to it as the ‘bread and butter’ of local politics. So Democratic Council Chairman Julian Jones made it clear to Lewis that they don’t want to be cut out of the process.
Read more (and listen) at WYPR.
