TO: City Council DATE: May 12, 2025 DEPARTMENT: Public Works Department
PREPARED BY: Isaac Whippy, City Manager & Chantell O’Neal , Assistant Director, Engineering PRESENTER: Isaac Whippy, City Manager & Chantell O’Neal, Assistant Director, Engineering AGENDA TITLE: Strategic Planning for Street Improvements and Use of Unassigned Reserves:
1) Local Streets and Roads and Funding Sources,
2) 2025 Pavement Preservation Project
3) Stop-Gap Patch Paving Project,
4) Purchasing Equipment for Self-Performing Work,
5) Escalating the 2027 Revitalization Project Design
RECOMMENDATION
Provide direction for using Unassigned Reserve Funding and Local Streets and Roads (LSR) Funding.
Provide direction regarding the release of the 2025 Project Bid Packet as currently designed.
Establish the list of streets to be designed in the 2027 Revitalization Project.
BACKGROUND
During the mid-year budget discussion in March, the City Manager recommended allocating $800,000 from unassigned reserves to improve the pavement condition of local streets. The City Council subsequently directed staff to bring this item to the Public Works and Facilities Committee (PWFC) to further develop the project scope and determine the most effective use of the funds.
PWFC met on March 31, 2025, and established that their highest priority was to get the streets in the worst condition repaired and recommended we proceed forward with a Stop-Gap Patch Paving project (which is discussed more in attachment 3) and evaluate further the option for the City’s Maintenance staff to self-perform pavement work (attachment 4). During the PWFC meeting, we also discussed including the streets that were left off of the 2025 project to be designed as their own 2026 project, which was an idea met with less enthusiasm than the first two items. The inclusion of these project locations in the 2027 streets project is discussed more in Attachment 5. In order to make this a comprehensive overview of the upcoming street project construction work planned, we will also briefly discuss the use of pavement management program strategies and the 2025 Streets project (attachment 2) as well as seek direction on the use of the City’s Local Streets and Roads (LSR) gas tax money (attachment 1).
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
See the individual Reports for specific analysis of each topic.
FISCAL IMPACT/FUNDING SOURCE
Attachment 1 provides an in-depth review of the Health of the Street Sales Tax Revenue Account, as well as the City’s annual distribution of LSR gas tax money. There is also a brief financial review for each project described in attachments 2-5.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This report does not have any impact on the environment as each project will be evaluated individually for compliance with regulatory laws.
STRATEGIC PLAN/COUNCIL PRIORITIES/GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY Street Project Planning, funding, and construction aligns with numerous policies in to the General Plan or the City’s Strategic Plan as listed below:
The Strategic Plan Goal focuses on securing, operating, and maintaining essential and sustainable public infrastructure for the community’s well-being and future growth. Goal 2F is to maintain resilient and walkable streetscapes that provide safety and attract travelers, pedestrians, cyclists, and businesses by coordinating all improvements. z Cooperatively schedule Road Maintenance with Water and Wastewater Enterprise activities to efficiently improve maintenance and inspections of under-roadway infrastructure.
General Plan Policy: Program C-15.1.6: Carry out an ongoing inventory of transportation system needs to be included in the City's Capital Improvement Plan. Policy C-9.2 Improve East-West Arterials: Improve Oak Street, Chestnut Street, and Redwood Avenue to provide safe and efficient circulation between Main Street and east Fort Bragg.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
While the development of street projects typically begins with data from the Pavement Management Plan (PMP), the streets lists are vetted with the City Council before any street project goes into the design phase. Staff maintains a list of street projects in the Capital Improvement Plan, posts information on street projects on the website, and maintains open communication regarding project updates through social media and press releases.
COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Public Works and Facilities Committee recommended we proceed with the Stop-Gap Paving Project and evaluate the opportunity to purchase equipment to enable the maintenance crews to self-perform more substantial street repairs.
ALERNATIVES:
Alternatives can be discussed in during each report.
ATTACHMENTS:
1 – Report on Local Streets and Roads Funding Sources and the Health of the Street Sales Tax Revenue Account 2 – Report on 2025 Pavement Preservation Project and the Importance of Long-Term, Data-Driven Street Maintenance Strategy 3 – Report on Stop-Gap Patch Paving Project
4 – Report on Consideration of Equipment Purchase to Enhance City Capacity for Self-Performed Asphalt Pothole Repairs 5 – Report on 2027 Revitalization Project
NOTIFICATION:
Street Construction
AGENDA ITEM NO. 8C
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT