Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 2.B
Meeting Date: October 6, 2025
From: John A. Corella, Director of Public Works
Title: Capital Improvement Program and Pavement Management Program Update
RECOMMENDATION:
City staff will present an update on the 5-Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and the Pavement Management Program (PMP) since its implementation in June 2023.
BACKGROUND:
Cathedral City’s 5-Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Plan is a strategic tool for prioritizing and budgeting infrastructure projects based on long-term community needs and available resources. The CIP is developed from the Pavement Management Program (PMP), which evaluates roadway conditions and provides data to guide cost effective maintenance priorities. This ensures street improvement funding is allocated using a clear, objective, and data-driven approach, helping the city make thoughtful decisions about infrastructure investments in a cost-effective manner.
In May 2023, the city completed a comprehensive PMP Implementation Report. This report served as a baseline for evaluating the condition of all 157 miles of city-maintained streets.
Each road segment was assigned a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) score, ranging from 0 (worst) to 100 (new or excellent condition), with the citywide average PCI recorded at 64, classified as “Fair.” This baseline has since guided project selection and funding prioritization in the current 5- Year CIP Plan.
The CIP Plan was last presented to City Council on April 23, 2025, outlining planned projects for FY 2025-26 through FY 2029-30. Today, staff will provide a semi-annual update highlighting recently completed CIP projects and an overview of upcoming projects programmed in the current biennial budget. In addition, staff will present a status update on the PMP, reporting on how recent roadway investments have impacted the city’s overall PCI since the completion of the PMP Implementation Report.
DISCUSSION:
Pavement Management Program
The 2023 Pavement Management Program Implementation Report was a critical step in updating the City’s approach to roadway maintenance. The report evaluated the entire street network of approximately 157 miles, divided into 1,396 segments and analyzed pavement conditions using industry-standard tools, including StreetSaver™, a software platform used by agencies across California.
The PMP Report did the following:
Assessed Existing Conditions
oRoadway segments were surveyed and rated using the Pavement Condition Index (PCI). The PCI score helps determine the current state of each street and what kind of treatment is most appropriate.
Established a Baseline
oThe citywide average PCI of 64 (as of 2023) was classified as “Fair” condition.
The report provided detailed breakdowns by roadway type:
Arterials (e.g., major roads)
Collectors (connecting neighborhoods to arterials)
Residential/Local Streets
Recommended Treatment Strategies
oBased on PCI scores, the PMP grouped street segments into categories that suggest specific maintenance approaches:
Functional Classification
Condition Category PCI
Range Arterial Collector Residential
Very Good 100 -90 Do Nothing(I) Good 89-70 Slurry seal with Crack Seal (II) Fair, Non-Load Slurry seal with Crack Seal
(III) Fair, Load -
Related
69-50 Grinding 2-inches with 2-inches of Asphalt
Overlay
(IV) Poor 49-25 Grinding 3-inches with 3-inches of Asphalt Overlay
(V) Very Poor <24 Full Depth AC and base Reconstruction Outlined Funding Scenarios
oThe report presented three budget scenarios to illustrate how different levels of investment would impact the citywide PCI over five years:
1. $2M/year – PCI drops from 64 to 59 by 2028
2. $2M–$11.9M/year – PCI holds steady at 64
3. $11.9M–$15.1M/year – PCI increases to 69 by 2028
These scenarios provided insight into the expected outcomes of different investment strategies, helping staff and Council better understand the long-term impact of funding decisions. Since completion of the report, staff have continued to update the PMP database with new project data and current PCI ratings to inform the ongoing CIP process.
Recent Roadway Improvements
Since 2023, the city has invested approximately $12.9 million in roadway improvements, resulting in upgrades to nearly 17% of the street network. This includes:
$3.1 million spent on surface maintenance treatments (like slurry seals and crack sealing), covering 4.5 million square feet of roadway.
$9.8 million invested in more extensive rehabilitation and reconstruction, improving approximately 1.6 million square feet.
A list of completed construction projects, including construction dates and costs, is attached to this report (Attachment 1). It is important to note that several projects were funded through one-time funding sources, including:
$4.7 million from the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians (ACBCI) agreement, used for reconstruction of Date Palm Drive.
$0.7 million from the General Fund for emergency repairs in the Panorama Neighborhood following Tropical Storm Hilary.
These one-time funding sources supported important repairs, while the city’s average annual investment from ongoing funding sources had remained around $3.7 million.
Despite recent progress, the overall condition of city streets has slightly declined, largely due to the natural aging of untreated roadways. As of this update, the average PCI is 61, down from 64 in 2023. A breakdown of current pavement conditions is provided below:
Condition
Category
PCI
Range
Centerline
Mileage
Percent
Centerline
Mileage
Pavement
Area (sf)
Percent
Area
2025
Percent
Area
2023
Very Good 90-100 6.7 4.2% 1,287,562 3.6% 4.3%
Good 70-89 55.8 34.6% 11,625,896 32.3% 31.5%
Fair 50-69 67.9 42.1% 14,374,881 39.9% 46.8%
Poor 25-49 25.9 16.0% 7,085,269 19.7% 15.2%
Very Poor 0-24 5.2 3.2% 1,639,868 4.6% 2.2%
Totals: 161.5 100.0% 36,013,476 100.0% 100.0%
The results presented in the table reflect the typical pavement life cycle, characterized by gradual deterioration over time due to factors such as frequent traffic, heavy vehicle loads, and adverse weather conditions. While some streets have recently received maintenance or rehabilitation, a significant portion of the network (83%) continues to deteriorate due to delayed or deferred maintenance. This ongoing deterioration helps explain the projected decrease in the overall citywide PCI.
Upcoming Projects in FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27
The 5-Year CIP Plan includes several roadway projects scheduled and budgeted for construction over the next two years. These projects are selected based on data from the PMP, ensuring a focus on streets that will benefit most from maintenance or repair.
Planned investments include:
FY 2025–26:
o$2.6 million for street reconstruction
o$0.8 million for pavement maintenance and repairs
oTotal investment: $3.4 million
FY 2026–27:
o$2.7 million for street reconstruction
o$1.1 million for pavement maintenance and repairs
oTotal investment: $3.8 million
These projects will be funded through a combination of sources, including a new annual allocation of $1,000,000 in Measure W funding for residential street improvements. The implementation of Measure W will enable the city to continue investing approximately $3.7 million annually, offsetting the decline of Measure A and Assessment District revenues that previously served as primary financial sources. A complete list of planned projects, along with estimated construction timelines and cost estimates, is provided in Attachment 2.
Conclusion
Cathedral City continues to make steady progress in maintaining and improving its roadway infrastructure. The PMP and 5-Year CIP Plan provide a data-driven framework for evaluating pavement conditions, prioritizing projects, and aligning investments with long-term maintenance strategies.
City staff regularly update the PMP database with the latest pavement condition data and completed project information. This ongoing analysis supports more accurate planning and budgeting and ensures that future investment recommendations are based on current conditions and system-wide needs.
With the passage of Measure W in 2024, the city now has an additional dedicated funding source that will support ongoing pavement maintenance and rehabilitation efforts. This increased funding capacity is reflected in the 5- Year CIP Plan and projects programmed in the current biennial budget and will help the city continue to address priority roadway needs in the coming years.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact for this update. This update is for information only.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
Goal-B: Community Investment
Objective: Cathedral City roads, gateways, public spaces, and other city infrastructure are well planned, designed, constructed, and maintained.
Action B-15: Develop a 5-Year pavement maintenance strategy and funding plan to achieve a citywide Pavement Quality Index that ranks in the Top 3 of Coachella Valley cities ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 – Projects Completed Since PMP Implementation Report Attachment 2 – FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27 Upcoming CIP Projects