Item #05
Date: May 19, 2026
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Jason Zumalt, Public Works Manager, Jeramy Chapdelaine, Public Works Director Subject: Purchase of a Hot Box Trailer for Street Repair Recommendation:
Pass a Motion authorizing the City Manager to purchase a new hot box trailer for use in asphalt patching and roadway maintenance operations in an amount not to exceed $60,000, utilizing available Senate Bill 1 (SB1) Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA) funds from Streets Fund Account No. 21-210-5401.
Rationale for Recommendation:
The purchase of a hot box trailer will improve the quality, efficiency, and durability of asphalt repairs. Current reliance on cold patch materials results in temporary fixes that require frequent rework, increasing labor and material costs. A hot box trailer allows staff to perform longer-lasting repairs using hot asphalt, reducing repeat maintenance and improving roadway conditions.
This recommendation is consistent with the City’s obligations under the Marysville Municipal Code, which requires the City to maintain public streets and infrastructure in a safe and serviceable condition. This investment supports timely repairs, enhances public safety, and reduces long-term maintenance costs.
The proposed purchase also assists the City in meeting State requirements to expend available SB1 funding on eligible roadway maintenance activities. Failure to expend available funds may result in a reduction of future SB1 allocations, making this purchase both operationally beneficial and fiscally prudent Overall, the equipment represents a cost-effective solution that strengthens the City’s ability to maintain its roadway system efficiently.
Background:
The Public Works Department is responsible for maintaining the City’s roadway network, including routine asphalt repairs such as pothole patching and surface maintenance. Over time, aging pavement and seasonal weather conditions have increased the frequency of needed repairs throughout the City.
Currently, the Department relies primarily on cold patch materials or limited access to hot asphalt, which often results in temporary repairs that deteriorate quickly and require repeated maintenance. This approach can be less efficient and more costly over time.
The proposed purchase of a hot box trailer will provide the Department with the ability to store and transport hot asphalt, allowing crews to perform more durable, timely, and cost-effective repairs as part of ongoing roadway maintenance efforts.
Discussion & Analysis:
The purchase of a hot box trailer will improve the Public Works Department’s asphalt repair operations by increasing efficiency, flexibility, and repair quality. Current reliance on cold patch materials often results in temporary repairs that require repeated maintenance and additional labor and material costs.
A hot box trailer will allow crews to transport and maintain hot mix asphalt for more durable repairs in the field. It will also provide the ability to store and keep cold patch material in a more workable condition, improving ease of application when hot mix is not available or appropriate. This flexibility enhances the Department’s ability to respond quickly and effectively to roadway maintenance needs under varying conditions.
A clear example of this inefficiency can be seen at SB1 funded street locations where pothole repairs have required multiple return visits using cold patch materials. Data obtained from the City’s computerized maintenance management system identified recurring citizen service requests for pothole repairs at the same locations due to premature failure of temporary cold patch repairs.
While this represents only one documented example, numerous locations throughout the City have experienced similar recurring failures. Had hot mix asphalt been available through use of a hot box trailer, many of these repairs likely could have been completed once and remained serviceable for a significantly longer period. This would have reduced repeat mobilization, traffic control setup, labor hours, and material consumption.
Based on Public Works operational experience, repeated cold patch repairs can result in maintenance costs that are approximately three to four times greater than a properly installed hot mix asphalt repair when labor, equipment, and material costs are considered. Year-to-date, Public Works crews have completed 62 work orders related to pothole repairs, demonstrating the ongoing need for more durable repair methods.
Operationally, the equipment will reduce downtime, improve crew efficiency, and decrease reliance on external vendors. While there is an upfront cost, long-term savings are expected through reduced repeat repairs, lower material waste, and improved productivity.
The anticipated service life of the equipment is 15 to 20 years, allowing the City to improve roadway maintenance operations for many years while reducing reliance on temporary repair methods.
Overall, this purchase supports a more efficient and durable approach to maintaining the City’s roadway infrastructure.
Alignment with City Council Goal(s):
The purchase of a hot box trailer directly supports City Council goals related to infrastructure maintenance, public safety, fiscal responsibility, and efficient delivery of municipal services. • Infrastructure & Asset Management: The equipment improves the City’s ability to maintain streets in a timely and effective manner, extending the service life of roadway assets and reducing long-term deterioration.
• Public Safety: Faster and more durable asphalt repairs reduce roadway hazards such as potholes and surface failures, helping prevent vehicle damage and improving travel safety for residents and emergency response vehicles.
• Fiscal Responsibility: By reducing repeat repairs, material waste, and reliance on temporary fixes, the hot box trailer supports more cost-effective maintenance practices and lowers long-term operational expenses.
• Efficient Service Delivery: The equipment enhances Public Works field productivity and response times, allowing staff to complete repairs in-house more efficiently and with greater flexibility. • Fiscal Stewardship of State Funding: The purchase allows the City to utilize available SB1 roadway maintenance funds on an eligible capital equipment purchase while avoiding potential reductions in future state funding allocations due to unspent balances.
Overall, this investment aligns with Council priorities by improving core infrastructure conditions while promoting efficient and responsible use of City resources.
Environmental Impact:
The purchase and use of a hot box trailer is expected to have a generally positive environmental impact through improved efficiency and reduced material waste. By enabling longer-lasting asphalt repairs, the equipment reduces the frequency of repeat patching activities, which in turn decreases the consumption of petroleum-based materials over time.
In addition, maintaining both hot mix and cold patch materials in a controlled, usable condition helps minimize wasted material due to hardening or spoilage. This supports more efficient use of construction materials and reduces unnecessary disposal.
The equipment will require fuel for transport and operation; however, these impacts are considered minor and are offset by the reduction in repeated service trips and associated equipment usage over time.
Overall, the project is expected to result in a net positive environmental benefit through improved durability of repairs, reduced material waste, and more efficient maintenance operations.
Fiscal Impact:
As part of the FY 2025 Annual Street Report filed in December 2025, the City was notified that additional funds are required to be spent down from the accumulated balance received from Senate Bill One (SB1), which is the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. As a follow-up, the State Controller’s Office notified the City in April 2026 that failure to expend approximately $70,000 in discretionary street funding by the end of FY 2026 would result in a decreased allocation in FY 2027 equating to the unspent funds in the prior fiscal year.
Per Article XIX Section 2(a) in the California Constitution, the acquisition of public works equipment is allowable under the program. The estimated cost for the hot box trailer is $60,000 which will be disbursed from the Streets Fund Account #21-210-5401.
Attachment(s)
a) Falcon Road Maintenance Quote