LAKELAND, Tenn. — Herons Ridge is undergoing a long-awaited full repaving project as part of Lakeland’s fiscal year (FY) 2027 pavement program, marking a significant investment in a neighborhood where road conditions have deteriorated in recent years.
Unlike pavement-preservation work designed to extend the life of existing pavement, the Herons Ridge project will involve comprehensive repaving. The neighborhood currently has an average Pavement Condition Index (PCI) of 52, placing it in the city’s “fair” category. The estimated cost of the project is approximately $600,000.
South Canada Road is also scheduled for paving during FY2027. The roadway has an average PCI of 40, which falls into the “poor” category, with an estimated project cost of $279,410.84.
In response to questions from The Lakeland Banner, City Manager Emily Harrell confirmed the projects included in the city’s FY2027 pavement program. “In the current year FY27 we are paving Herons Ridge and S. Canada and preservation in Fairway Meadows, Stonebridge G1 and Woodbridge,” Harrell said.
The additional neighborhoods, Fairway Meadows, Stonebridge Section G1 and Woodbridge, are scheduled to receive pavement-preservation treatments during the fiscal year. Those projects have a combined estimated cost of approximately $327,919.
Together, the paving and preservation projects currently included in Lakeland’s five-year pavement plan represent an estimated $1.21 million in FY2027.
Growing investment in Lakeland roads
The FY2027 program represents a substantial increase in Lakeland’s investment in pavement compared with a decade ago. The city’s FY2017 budget allocated approximately $650,000 for street repair and maintenance, including resurfacing, crack filling, pothole repairs and striping. Under the city’s current five-year pavement plan, spending is projected to remain at significantly higher levels in the coming years. Current estimates call for approximately $1.37 million in FY2028, $1.20 million in FY2029, $2.92 million in FY2030 and $2.28 million in FY2031.
The projects and costs are based on the city’s current five-year paving and preservation plan and could change as future budgets and project schedules are finalized.
