3 0
3 4
DISCUSSION
City of San Bernardino
Request for Council Action
Date: December 3, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
From: Lynn Merrill, Director of Public Works
Department: Public Works
Subject: Pavement Management Program (PMP Findings and
Funding Scenarios) (All Wards)
Recommendation:
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino California:
1. Receive and file the Pavement Management Program (PMP) draft report update; and
2. Provide direction on neighborhood rehabilitation focused areas and funding strategies; and
3. Direct staff to incorporate the PMP findings and recommendations into the FY 2026–2036 Capital Improvement Program (CIP); and
4. Authorize staff to evaluate and pursue sustainable funding strategies, including potential bond financing, Measure S allocations, and available state and federal grant opportunities.
City Manager's Comments
This is the first step in putting together a program to continue the City Council’s efforts in improving the City’s pavement conditions and pavement ratings.
Executive Summary
The City of San Bernardino has completed its comprehensive Pavement Management Program (PMP). The PMP provides an industry-standard assessment of pavement conditions using the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) rating system and establishes 5/ 3 0
3 4
10- year funding and maintenance strategies to guide long-term roadway preservation.
The 5/10-year PMP outlines existing pavement deficiencies, prioritizes rehabilitation needs, and models long-term funding scenarios to maintain and improve the City’s roadway network condition. City Council input is requested to confirm the approach for selecting rehabilitation zones, identifying funding options, and upcoming Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
Background
The City maintains approximately 557 miles of roadway encompassing arterial, collector, and local residential streets. Pavement infrastructure represents one of the City’s largest capital assets and plays a critical role in mobility, economic activity, and safety.
In 2024, the City retained NCE to prepare a Pavement Management Program using the ASTM D6433 visual distress survey method. Each street segment was rated to determine its PCI (0–100), where 100 represents excellent condition and 0 represents failed pavement.
The program’s primary objectives are to:
• Assess current citywide pavement conditions;
• Identify maintenance and rehabilitation needs across all roadway classifications; • Develop 5/10-year investment strategies;
• Maximize the return on investment through lifecycle-based preservation Discussion
The Pavement Management Program established a long-term roadmap for preserving and improving the City’s roadwork network. By using a data-driven approach and aligning funding with performance goals, the City can enhance public safety, reduce lifecycle costs, and improve roadway conditions citywide if funding is available.
Citywide Pavement Condition
The PMP analysis established a baseline average PCI of 51, compared to the statewide average of approximately 65. The City’s pavement condition distribution is summarized below:
• Good (65–100): 32.4%
• Fair (40–64): 31.9%
• Poor (24–39): 17.3%
• Very Poor/Failed (<25): 18.4%
While several arterial corridors remain in fair to good condition, a significant portion of local and residential streets are rated in poor or very poor condition due to deferred maintenance.
Funding Scenarios
The PMP evaluated three investment levels to model the long-term impacts of funding decisions:
3 0
3 4
The PMP’s three funding scenarios above illustrate how different investment levels will shape the condition of the City’s roadway network over the next 10 years. Under the current funding level of approximately $12 million per year, the City’s average PCI would fall to 40, indicating a continued decline in pavement quality and an increase in deferred maintenance. This level of investment is insufficient to keep pace with deterioration, meaning more streets will fall into “poor” or “very poor” condition, requiring costly full reconstruction in the future.
The second scenario models the investment required in order to raise the City’s average PCI to 65, the statewide average which would stabilize the network and prevent further backlog growth. Achieving this outcome requires an estimated $58 million annually, reflecting the scale of the City’s infrastructure deficit and the cost to bring the system back to a sustainable condition.
The third scenario shows the investment needed to further improve the network to a PCI of 70, which would significantly reduce deferred maintenance and allow the City to focus on preventative treatments instead of expensive reconstruction. This scenario requires approximately $70 million per year, representing a long-term strategy that not only restores but preserves the roadway system at a high service level.
Collectively, these scenarios demonstrate the large gap between the City’s current funding capacity and the investment required to maintain or improve pavement conditions, emphasizing the need for diversified revenue streams, grant leveraging, and strategic planning in future CIPs.
Recommended Maintenance Treatments
The PMP recommends a mix of preventive and corrective maintenance based on pavement conditions. It is to be noted that the recommended treatment is subject to change based on functional classification:
Funding Level Average PCI After 10 Years Deferred
Maintenance Notes
City’s Budget (~$12M/yr) 40 Increasing Network deteriorates Improve PCI to 65
(Statewide Average) 65 Stable Requires ~$58M/yr
Improve PCI to 70 70 Reduced Requires ~$70M/yr
3 0
3 4
This approach emphasizes early intervention to extend pavement life and minimize future reconstruction costs.
Funding Source
Current and potential funding sources include:
Measure S:
Local sales tax for infrastructure improvements. While the Pavement Management Program is an appropriate use of Measure S funds, Measure S is a general-purpose revenue source used to maintain City service levels and support multiple strategic priorities including, but not limited to, infrastructure improvements.
Measure I:
Regional transportation funding administered by SBCTA. Using Measure I funds for pavement rehabilitation in San Bernardino offers several benefits, including providing a dedicated transportation revenue source, reducing pressure on the General Fund and RMRA, supporting the City’s long-term pavement management strategy, and serving as a strong local match for state and federal grants. However, it also presents challenges, as Measure I dollars are limited and must be balanced against other transportation priorities such as traffic signals, major arterials, and regional mobility.
RMRA (SB-1):
State gas tax funding for roadway maintenance. RMRA (SB1) provides the City with a reliable, formula-based annual funding source dedicated specifically to road maintenance and rehabilitation, offering strong flexibility to address both arterial and residential streets, support PMP strategies, and serve as a match for grants. However, it also comes with mandatory reporting, accountability requirements, and a maintenance-of-effort obligation that increases administrative work, and the annual allocation is often insufficient to cover the City’s full pavement needs. Despite these limitations, RMRA remains one of the most essential and versatile funding sources for improving the City’s roadway network.
PCI Range Recommended Treatment Typical Cost
($/SY)
Crack Seal / Slurry Seal or $5.90
Thin Mill & Overlay with Base Repairs $39.00
Crack Seal / Slurry Seal / Base Repairs or $8.20-8.90
Thin Mill & Overlay with Base Repairs $37.50-39.00
25–39
0–24 Full Reconstruction or FDR $85.50-117.50
65–100
40–64
Thick Mill & Overlay with Base Repairs or
Partial Reconstruction $45.50-55.50
3 0
3 4
Gas Tax Fund:
The Gas Tax Fund is a long-standing, formula-based revenue source derived from statewide fuel taxes and distributed to cities for street maintenance and traffic operations. It provides a predictable annual allocation that can be used for a wide range of roadway needs, including pothole repair, street maintenance, traffic signals, striping, signs, and minor capital improvements, giving the City flexible operational support.
However, Gas Tax revenues have been slowly declining due to fuel efficiency improvements and the statewide transition toward electric vehicles, making it less reliable over the long term. Additionally, Gas Tax funding is generally modest and insufficient for large paving or reconstruction projects on its own, so it typically supplements RMRA or other major funding sources. Despite these limitations, Gas Tax remains an important foundational revenue stream that helps the City cover routine roadway maintenance and operational needs.
Bond Financing:
Bond financing allows the City to borrow money upfront to complete large-scale pavement or infrastructure improvements immediately, then repay the debt over time using a dedicated revenue stream such as Measure I, Gas Tax, or the General Fund.
The major advantage of bonding is that it accelerates construction, allowing the City to address deteriorating streets now—before conditions worsen and rehabilitation costs rise. It can also bundle multiple corridors into a single, efficient construction program.
However, bonding reduces future budget flexibility because annual debt service payments become a fixed obligation for many years. It also requires interest costs, legal approvals, and potentially voter authorization depending on the bonding mechanism. If not carefully managed, bonding can limit the City’s ability to fund future projects. Despite these drawbacks, bonding can be an effective tool when the City needs to rapidly improve roadway conditions and align with long-term pavement strategies.
Next Steps:
Following City Council input, staff will:
• Finalize the PMP document.
• Adopt the PMP by the Mayor and City Council at a future City Council meeting. • Publish the PMP on the City website for transparency. • Integrate PMP priority projects into the FY 2026-2036 CIP. • Develop an annual pavement preservation and rehabilitation program. • Coordinate with utility providers to enforce the trench moratorium requirements. and ensure compliance on all affected streets.
2021-2025 Strategic Targets and Goals
This initiative aligns with Strategic Target and Goal No. 3c &3d: The goal focuses on enhancing the safety, reliability, and long-term performance of the City’s transportation network, and the PMP serves as the technical foundation for achieving this objective.
Through its comprehensive PCI assessment, funding scenarios, and recommended rehabilitation strategies, the PMP helps identify the most cost-effective methods to improve pavement conditions, reduce long-term maintenance costs, and strategically direct limited resources to the areas of greatest need. 3 0
3 4
Fiscal Impact
There is no immediate fiscal impact associated with this discussion item.
Implementation of year one (1) projects and long-term funding commitments will be addressed through future City Council budget actions and incorporation into the FY2026-2036 Capital Improvement Program.
Conclusion
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California,
1. Receive and file the Pavement Management Program (PMP) draft report update; and
2. Provide direction on neighborhood rehabilitation focused areas and funding strategies; and
3. Direct staff to incorporate the PMP findings and recommendations into the FY 2026–2036 Capital Improvement Program (CIP); and
4. Authorize staff to evaluate and pursue sustainable funding strategies, including potential bond financing, Measure S allocations, and available state and federal grant opportunities.
Attachments
Attachment 1 Pavement Management Program Power Point
Presentation (Will be provided at the meeting)
Ward:
All Wards
Synopsis of Previous Council Actions:
May 15, 2024 Award of Professional Services Agreement for Pavement Management Program and Asset Inventory
CC Eric Levitt, City Manager