NEW LONDON, WI – New London High School will receive a parking lot makeover this summer as part of the New London School District’s ongoing maintenance plan aimed at preserving district facilities and avoiding more costly repairs in the future.
Director of Business Services Joe Marquardt said the project is part of a long-term strategy that schedules parking lot maintenance and repairs on a regular cycle.
“Every four to five years we build our budget around parking lot maintenance and repairs,” Marquardt said.
The district has been working through parking lot improvement projects at schools across the district. Several smaller school parking lots have been completed, leaving the high school’s larger lot as the next priority.
“Last year we did a bunch of the other schools that are smaller in square footage, and we weren’t able to fit the entire district into one summer or the budget for that matter,” Marquardt said. “So last year we told the board we’ll do these smaller lots all together, and then next year, meaning this year, we will get to the high school, which is our largest lot.”
The project will include seal coating, patching and fresh striping throughout the parking lot.
Marquardt said district officials have been preparing for the work for more than a year.
“Last summer we did the crack sealing there, so that way we were kind of preparing ourselves to get that lot ready to go,” he said. “We try to maintain them to sustain them as long as we can before we have to tear off a layer, redo a layer or put an overlay on.”
By staying ahead of maintenance needs, district officials hope to extend the life of the pavement while keeping costs under control.
Marquardt credited the School Board for supporting a proactive approach to facility maintenance.
“Our board has been very good about being proactive,” he said. “They knew a couple years ago already that over the next two years we would use part of our maintenance budget for these projects.”
The New London School Board recently awarded the contract for the project to Asphalt Seal and Repair for just over $46,000.
Marquardt said the company has completed work for the district in the past and was selected after submitting the lowest bid.
“They’re great to work with,” Marquardt said. “We’ve worked with other contractors, but Asphalt Seal and Repair had the lowest bid for this one.”
Construction is expected to take place during the summer months while students are out of school, minimizing disruptions and ensuring the parking lot is ready for the start of the new school year.
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