PAVING THE WAY TO SAVINGS: Stoughton is one of the first towns in the area to using a new paving method, out of New York, that recycles the asphalt already on the ground.

DPW Superintendent John Batchelder told About Town, "This a new process that has been used successfully in New York and Connecticut. The western part of the state is using it, and Attleboro was the first around here."

Trucks were seen on Turnpike Street on Thursday and Friday last week.

The process re-uses the asphalt, which is rejuvinated in VERY high heat, mixed with oil, and rolled back into the road. Then, a light coat of micropave, a light sealer with cement additive, is added to the top as a finish.

Batchelder explained that on heavily traveled roads like Turnpike Street, with a lot of heavy trucks, that a regular thick overlay will be added, rather than the micropave.

Batchelder said that side streets will have microwave.

"It should stop a lot of the surface cracks. It's a new process that will save us a lot of money, if it works the way we think it should. We're trying to stretch our Chapter 90 money [government funding for road work] as much as we can."

Batchelder said other streets to receive this "Hot Inplace Asphalt Recycling" include Cross Street, Walker Road, and O'Neil St.

"Hopefully its another tool in our tool box to keep our roads in good shape," Batchelder said.

Take a look at pictures from this paving project in the media gallery.

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LIGHTS OUT: Stoughton residents near the Canton and Sharon line got an unexpected gift from National Gridlock on a hot and muggy evening, Sunday, July 15 - NO POWER.

Nearly 1,500 electric customers near Cobbs Corner, and adjacent to areas of Bay Road, lost their power early Sunday evening (according to a National Grid outage map).

National Grid spokesperson Charlotte McCormick told About Town at 9:13 p.m.: "I called dispatch. We have no reports of power outages in Stoughton."

When I TOLD her that their WERE outages, she said she would check on it again.

McCormick was nice enough to call back at 9:29 p.m., and said that the blackout affected closer to 500 customers, and the power was restored in one hour to all residents.

She said that it was caused by "a blown fuse on a pole on Central Street. The power was out from 5:29 to 6:29. Our crews worked hard to restore power as quickly as possible."

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HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY: To Patty McGowan Bangs, a fitness instructor; to Michelle Medeiros, a talented singer. Both celebrated on Saturday, July 14. 

To Anne Leppo, a paper goods rep.  And, to retired Stoughton High principal Phil Iacobacci. They celebrated on the 15th.

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