Strategic Maintenance Fleet: Enhancing In-House Asphalt Repair The City of Fort Bragg is proposing a strategic shift toward self-performing asphalt repairs to improve responsiveness to community complaints and increase repair quality. This transition requires a specialized fleet of heavy machinery and specialized attachments to handle hot-mix asphalt logistics and installation.
OPERATIONAL
CALIFORUINA
REALIGNMENT
Presented by: Isaac Whippy, Street Rehabilitation &
City Manager & Chantell O'Neal,
Assistant Director Engineering Maintenance Strategy
February 23, 2026 Establishing In-House Capacity & Oak Street Investigation RECOMMENDATION: BALANCING IMMEDIATE
NEEDS WITH OPERATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY
DECISION POINT 1: ESTABLISH IN-HOUSE DECISION POINT 2: OAK STREET STORM
STREETS CREW DRAIN INVESTIGATIONS
• Procure equipment package for efficient • Proceed with investigative potholing and road repair. utility verification.
• Transition to hybrid delivery model to • Confirm conditions for future reduce contractor reliance. rehabilitation design.
• Goal: Improve response times and
maximize street funding.
NOTE: Staff is NOT requesting authorization for Level 3 or 4 rehabilitation work at this time.
THE CURRENT CHALLENGE: REACTIVE & CONTRACTOR-DEPENDENT
THE PROBLEM:
• Limited Capacity: Public Works currently COLD PATCH
performs only temporary "cold patch"
repairs.
• High Costs: Reliance on expensive outside
contractors for minor maintenance.
• New Pressure: Broadband construction
has left temporary trench patches citywide.
HOT-MIX
THE CONSEQUENCE: ASPHALT
• Delayed response times and high
mobilization costs.
OPERATIONAL REALIGNMENT:
A HYBRID DELIVERY MODEL
OUTSOURCE IN-SOURCE
To Contractors Janitorial & Roadway Existing Personnel
(March 15) Landscaping Maintenance & & Future Hires
Support Infrastructure
Functions Repair
STRATEGIC BENEFITS
RESPONSIVENESS QUALITY DEVELOPMENT
Address pothole complaints Transition from cold patches Advanced machinery faster than capital projects. to permanent hot-mix. training for internal staff.
NOTE: Operational changes will be implemented in phases.
OPERATIONAL LOGISTICS & STAFFING
THE CREW MODEL (4-5 PERSON TEAM)
O 2 Equipment Operators
2-3 Flaggers/Laborers (Seasonal/Part-time)
© NEW HIRE: 1 Full-Time Maintenance Il
(Must possess Class A CDL)
FACILITY REQUIREMENTS
© Storage: Need ~5,000 sq ft (indoor/covered)
• Purpose: Protect $500k+ equipment investment
THE TOOLKIT: EQUIPMENT FOR PRECISION & AGILITY
KIT OF PARTS
Caterpillar 265 Compact Thermo-Lay
Track Loader Asphalt Trailer
Price: $174,905 Price: $377,553
Note: Grinding, grading, and Note: Keeps asphalt
paving prep. workable for 3 days.
Tilt-Deck Skid Steer Paver
Equipment Trailer Attachments
Price: $13,266.50 Price: $6,119
Precision placement.
TOTAL INVESTMENT:
Rapid mobilization.
~$571,845
THE MULTI-TOOL: CATERPILLAR 265 TRACK LOADER
GRINDING
Cold planer attachment mills failed asphalt. 285
SWEEPING
Broom attachment clears debris.
CA
COMPACTING
Vibratory roller ensures
professional-grade density.
Value Proposition
Replaces "drive-over compaction" with
engineered surface preparation.
OVERCOMING THE GEOGRAPHIC CONSTRAINT
1.5 HOURS
TO THE JOB SITE
...
. 0OC5SRY
UKIAH FORT BRAGG
(PLANT) (JOB SITE)
WITHOUT THERMO-LAY: WITH THERMO-LAY TRAILER:
Asphalt cools and becomes Material stays at ideal temperature unusable during transport. Forced for up to 3 days. Enables profes- to use temporary cold patch. sional-grade, permanent repairs.
DEFINING CAPABILITIES:
THE 4-LEVEL MATRIX
LEVEL Simple Patch / Scope: Precision repairs,
pothole patching, linear
1 Stop Gap wheel-path cracking.
LEVEL Hybrid Scope: City crews perform
NEW grinding/prep; contractors
2 Coordination hired for paving.
IN-HOUSE
CREW SCOPE LEVEL Scope: Full edge-to-edge
Advanced
failure requiring full grind
3 Pavement
and overlay. REMAINS
Scope: Subsurface failures, OUTSOURCED
LEVEL Complex
utility conflicts, drainage
4 Engineering issues.
NOTE: Operational changes will be implemented in phases DEFINING THE WORK: LEVELS 1 & 2
INTERNAL MAINTENANCE & CREW DEVELOPMENT (LEVELS 1-3)
LEVEL 1: PRECISION REPAIRS
Level 1: Precision Repairs
• Scope: Simple patch paving (stop gap), Focused on patching and repairs grind & pave prep. (stop gap), grind & pave prep. where adjacent redmeit pavement remains
• Locations: Alley N 400D, Broadband in gocition in condition. utility patching.
Level 2: Hybrid Coordination
LEVEL 2: HYBRID COORDINATION Scope: City crews perform
grind/surface prep;
contractors hired for
• Scope: City crews perform grind/surface
paving/striping.
prep; contractors hired for paving/striping.
• Locations: Walnut Street, Oak Street
(Sanderson to Dana).
MANAGING EXPECTATIONS: DEFERRING LEVEL 3 & 4
PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING & COMPLEX PROJECTS (LEVEL 4)
Level 3 & 4: Structural Failures
Projects involving full edge-to-edge failure,
poor subgrade, or severe drainage issues.
DEFERRED PROJECTS:
WAIT
• South Harrison (Subsurface failures)
• Chestnut (Utility compaction) Requires Design-Bid-Build Delivery. • West Street (Edge-to-edge failure) Candidates for future LPP Grants.
Locations for External Triage
South Harrison, Chestnut, West Street,
Major utility repairs require
professional engineering.
Future Funding Strategy
GRANT
Level 3/4 sites will be triaged
for LPP competitive grants in
November 2026.
THE OAK STREET CORRIDOR
Challenge Box
• A complex City corridor.
• Collapsed storm drain
segments between
California Way and
Sanderson.
• Aging utilities and
documented pavement
failures.
GOAL: Complete targeted investigative work to confirm conditions and develop a defensible basis for design. 0
L
OAK STREET INVESTIGATION SCOPE
LUMOS
CIATES
STORM DRAIN CCTV
Certified inspection and defect coding. WHY NOW?
• The storm drain system
is in a state of collapse
STORM DRAIN POTHOLING and represents a safety
risk.
• Data strengthens
position for November
2026 LPP Competitive
CONDITION ANALYSIS & Grant.
3- roma ve redecomen states 15% CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
L
SYNERGY: LEVERAGING INTERNAL CAPACITY FOR SAVINGS LUMOS
S ASSOCIA
Lumos Base Proposal: $82,050
Deduct (City Crews Perform Task 2): - ($19,000)
REVISED COST: $63,050-
This is the first practical application of the "Hybrid Delivery Model, reducing consultant costs by utilizing internal labor for excavation and traffic control.
FINANCIAL STRATEGY & FUNDING
EQUIPMENT INVESTMENT INVESTIGATION INVESTMENT
• Total Estimated Cost: ~$571,845 • Lumos Revised Base: $63,050 (Recommended)
• Available LSR Funds: $187,714
• Optional Sewer Tasks: $31,900
SHORTFALL: ~$211,701 (If authorized)
(Requires Budget Amendment)
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS & DIRECTION
ACTION 1: ESTABLISH ACTION 2: OAK STREET
IN-HOUSE CREW INVESTIGATION
• Proceed with equipment • Authorize Lumos contract.
procurement ($571k • Utilize City crew for
package). potholing to realize savings.
• Begin staffing recruitment
(Maintenance II).
Investing in capacity now to save on repairs later.