[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_25":26},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_27":28,"_29":30},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[31,74,86,98],{"_32":33,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":39,"_40":41,"_42":43,"_44":45,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6534466,"mediaKeyId","3585369-0bf7e4a11ed1082ef1524d5ce1d60249","parentId",3585369,"title","Residents press city on paving quality and inspection as pavement‑management contract is considered","audioSeconds",361,"startMs",2134000,"endMs",2495000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3585369-0bf7e4a11ed1082ef1524d5ce1d60249&start=2134&end=2495","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3585369-0bf7e4a11ed1082ef1524d5ce1d60249/thumbnail_2134000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6534466/Durham-City/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Residents-press-city-on-paving-quality-and-inspection-as-pavementmanagement-contract-is-considered","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6534466-0510be56316878e363ad86c72e4c5e67/orig.mp4?Expires=1770101746&Signature=nwlIObOaCUBlU5tZpgCV1G1PgxujHNz710HTuVu~Hgj9UwkRml-AZX6AlwUPMPFrVVadwlG6HCVHzFA-5Ll~Ch24KPZIOuC1~fHbjZPNPnpzl89~34qoQKotTsIDY2K7gEITPbyXLgUT7nCm9hHYGdT5vEIUyhilmirXP7Sp7o6uCuQjrP54cypMtvodwvBtJXJyYv7JqnRjKkzcg~2hMkL4-92NqqsKXDq61fXUriKIZh-vlu3Ak0xWg2m8wxT-AzNRN5SZiDKgI8q0BAcLQrt5YMap5T5EI92ME7z0gdQ3G9dU7xIbtbCNPF9gSQNk1xjamOjuZhZFTHDsyusaZw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Durham","date","2025-05-27T18:54:11Z","article","A resident told the council he had documented problems with recent repaving and preservation projects and questioned whether the consultant proposed for a pavement‑management and inspection contract (listed as ST335C in the agenda packet) had been involved in prior work with allegedly deficient results.

The resident (a member of the public) said pavement preservation work on multiple streets has begun to “peel” in places within a year or two after completion and that some lane‑marking and buffered bicycle lane treatments were not installed to planned widths. He asked the council to require greater accountability and to confirm whether the consultant on the new contract had previously worked on the projects he cited.

Public Works staff (Tasha Jones) responded that the consulting firm under consideration had been the same consultant used previously for inspection and management on pavement projects. Staff said the city is monitoring the locations cited (Bright Avenue, Barber Road and others named by the resident) and is investigating causes of the distress; they did not attribute the problem solely to workmanship and said they were adjusting selection and oversight processes for future projects.

Councilor Cook asked about remedies and resources when workmanship issues surface; staff said the city seeks contractor corrections and, if necessary, will pursue repair and remedies under contract terms. Staff committed to follow up on the specific locations and to provide more information to council.

Why it matters: pavement preservation and correct striping affect road safety, bicyclist protection and the longevity of pavement investments. Residents asked for clearer accountability and for the city to confirm that inspection and contract management deliver durable results.

No formal vote was taken on the contract during the session; the item had been pulled for additional discussion.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","SPANISH VERSION DURHAM CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION 4.24.2025","oneSentenceSummary","A resident told the council he had documented problems with recent repaving and preservation projects and asked whether the consultant recommended for a pavement‑management and inspection contract had worked on those projects.","taxTitle","Durham City, Durham County, North Carolina","taxId",5766,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_32":75,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":76,"_40":77,"_42":78,"_44":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6534470,"Durham presents concept plan for Durham Central Park as residents press to fund parks maintenance",1341,6016000,7357000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3585369-0bf7e4a11ed1082ef1524d5ce1d60249&start=6016&end=7357","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3585369-0bf7e4a11ed1082ef1524d5ce1d60249/thumbnail_6016000.jpg","/articles/6534470/Durham-City/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Durham-presents-concept-plan-for-Durham-Central-Park-as-residents-press-to-fund-parks-maintenance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6534470-2ff9d1c34a6ce959cba92eaebb4bea5c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770101746&Signature=Hurc6vfsBQ0~GKrmNdMZgW961kfbSQkcx2VBizoYzqnbb8sqCaTgps9tnYDj0Z~tpclfPhnMonvHc1UsGec3Va3NtKfdjx4QZBxQk3nnnDavFh~7CgzKx7h~r0mviHeL~BckSL~kjptbwS4-JxrTymWlpntWmvoT-o4FQHgCwsC~wdKuFhFM4fNxlbMijk0v4mXDKIshk26XbQvWu-7hOkcSOJ0fmyoVJNFmLIgNFHV7fPp-DjXFkHI40wrs21E2T~JQgsfsmPsED-9qADZhjbUrrLx6X2f4Zo99Fa2iWuPGtIoQxyY2s1dn-p8ajKwOchQ-2isI4FD6nbQDWsjQMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Durham Parks and Recreation staff presented a concept plan for Durham Central Park that staff said is built from community workshops and an existing parks master plan. The presentation outlined circulation changes, a “festival street” that could be temporarily closed for events, expanded green lawns and improvements to park entries and connections.

Presenters said the concept combines community feedback from multiple open houses and focus groups and aims to make the park more accessible, create programmed plazas for markets and events, add play areas and improve connections between currently isolated parcels. Staff described the festival street as a temporary closure for events rather than a permanent closure, and said they will coordinate with the transportation department on emergency vehicle access and traffic‑calming measures.

Multiple residents and park advocates used the public‑comment period to ask council to preserve or increase funding for parks maintenance and capital projects. Speakers included members of the Recreation Advisory Committee, Durham Parks Foundation and regular park users; they urged the council to maintain the half‑penny parks fund (a local parks revenue source discussed by speakers) to support maintenance, court repairs and staffing for maintenance and programming.

Specific community concerns raised in public comment included:
- Tennis courts at Mira Park (and Elmira) are badly deteriorated, with large cracks and drainage problems; users asked that rehabilitation funding include a subsurface drainage solution.
- Longstanding community tennis programs and leagues, including historically Black community participation, were cited by speakers as reasons to prioritize court repairs.
- Advocates asked the council to preserve dedicated parks funding and to ensure the parks department has staff capacity for ongoing maintenance and for implementing capital improvements.

Why it matters: staff framed the concept plan as part of the parks master plan for the next decade and said a strong maintenance and staffing plan is required for the park to remain an active community asset. Speakers linked capital projects (courts, playgrounds, drainage) directly to public‑health and community access outcomes.

Staff said the festival street would be operated as a shared street that remains open to regular traffic except when closed temporarily for events, with traffic‑calming design elements to slow vehicles when open. The concept plan includes a regraded “great lawn” intended for small concerts and large community gatherings, expanded entry plazas and improved sight lines and pedestrian routes.

Council did not take formal action during the presentation; staff said the concept is part of ongoing design work that will return to the council with further detail and budget requests.","Parks staff unveiled a concept plan for Durham Central Park and residents and advocacy groups urged the council to keep or expand park funding — including the half‑penny parks fund and targeted repairs for tennis courts and drainage.",{"_32":87,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":88,"_40":89,"_42":90,"_44":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6534473,"Durham staff outline proposed water and sewer rate increases, cite Jordan Lake project as major driver",2865,2785000,5650000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3585369-0bf7e4a11ed1082ef1524d5ce1d60249&start=2785&end=5650","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3585369-0bf7e4a11ed1082ef1524d5ce1d60249/thumbnail_2785000.jpg","/articles/6534473/Durham-City/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Durham-staff-outline-proposed-water-and-sewer-rate-increases-cite-Jordan-Lake-project-as-major-driver","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6534473-8a195e9400cb6763d90550cadb78873f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770101746&Signature=n~dfJ4Tsru0QZhzMpwpLP8tHcKpJlDf0M6zCUp04U1E0NrUEeSyaTHTvpvG4YJzONV2qc6pLPmwYQVpPiZFbIgC7TGLiFWSnxn4ILWEwadR8jC9NcOZEDEEBd-sPfD64qa48c35CjjnCwRz~XpfF7gqa0YE2HXvs7Xtr8VNaNrintOYvOLi2MqRiUNqg-NeZ6OYOdWpwxb4W1BFTSgrTx3FsYxZNe3KQ4wqTMow5wdWZ6Aa9FHkLQWnJo1GeirjN1Pdl8DV9hSRSMAZHRvI2p4nH6Ru60B7GW5Se3LDwNvECj4hMi8VJNLjAXBBeySYTI0ielxLTW11faMQ2HkmRTw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Durham City staff presented proposed water and sewer rates and a 10‑year financial model for the utility during a council work session, saying the city must finance major infrastructure projects including connection to Jordan Lake and ongoing rehabilitation of reservoirs and treatment plants.

The utility presentation highlighted system scale and costs: Durham manages four treatment plants, roughly 2,600 miles of pipe and about 106,000 customer accounts. Staff said long‑term capital needs tied to Jordan Lake and other projects push the utility capital program to nearly $2 billion over the next five years, with a single Jordan Lake‑related construction contract described as “generational” in scale. For a typical single‑family household using 108 cubic feet per month, staff said the proposed changes would raise the bill by about $2.41 per month.

City staff said the Jordan Lake work is likely to require major new borrowing. The presentation noted the city is negotiating governance and cost‑sharing agreements with other utilities and counties that will have access to Jordan Lake water; those agreements will affect how much of the initial construction cost Durham bears and how the city recovers costs through rates and allocations.

Why it matters: staff characterized Jordan Lake as a multi‑decade, multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar (they referenced figures above $1 billion for the overall program) undertaking that will affect rates, debt levels and utility capital plans for years. Council members focused on affordability and on the city’s assistance fund, which staff said currently holds $150,000 and has supported about 1,068 households this fiscal year.

Key details from the presentation:
- System scale: four treatment plants, 2,600 miles of mains, 106,000 accounts.
- Capital pressures: staff cited nearly $2 billion in projected utility capital needs over the next five years, largely tied to Jordan Lake and distribution upgrades; one treatment‑plant construction contract was described as having an anticipated value above $400 million.
- Specific projects cited: rehabilitation projects for Lake Michie and Little River (an $85 million project cited as underway), and a planned treatment plant and long transmission mains (presenters referenced a 17‑mile, 42‑inch main and pump station associated with Jordan Lake).
- Customer impacts: staff proposed modest, tiered increases in both monthly service charges and usage tiers; the example given for a typical residential customer was roughly a $2.41 monthly increase. Staff said the proposal includes higher incremental charges for high‑use tiers as a conservation signal.
- Affordability: about 40% of customers fall in the lowest rate tier; staff said the systemwide bill burden is about 1.1% of median household income, near commonly used benchmarks. Staff also said they will continue to track need and, if demand for assistance grows, the council and administration have historically increased the assistance fund during budget cycles.

Council questions focused on three areas: (1) the capacity and governance agreements for Jordan Lake and how cost and allocation will be shared with Sanford and neighboring utilities, (2) financing options (bonds, loans and potential state/federal programs) and (3) affordability and customer assistance. Staff said the city will pursue standard utility financing (bonds and low‑interest loans) and continue to seek grants and state program funds but currently anticipates borrowing is the primary financing route for the larger Jordan Lake components.

Staff also described operational and efficiency work: automated meter and advanced reading technologies (moving from AMR to an AMI platform), energy‑use audits at plants, a biosolids plan and early steps to electrify and provide charging infrastructure at fleet facilities. The presentation named the UNC Environmental Finance Center as a benchmark source used in comparisons with other North Carolina utilities.

The presentation was informational; the council did not take a formal vote on rates during the session. Staff said they will return with finalized rate ordinances and recommended governance agreements after ongoing negotiations and additional engineering work.

","City staff presented proposed water and sewer rates for FY2025–26, estimating a modest monthly increase for a typical household and warning that the Jordan Lake supply project and rising construction costs will drive multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar capital needs.",{"_32":99,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":100,"_40":101,"_42":102,"_44":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6534461,"Residents urge Durham to address street safety, speeding and truck parking near school",332,1035000,1367000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3585369-0bf7e4a11ed1082ef1524d5ce1d60249&start=1035&end=1367","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3585369-0bf7e4a11ed1082ef1524d5ce1d60249/thumbnail_1035000.jpg","/articles/6534461/Durham-City/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Residents-urge-Durham-to-address-street-safety-speeding-and-truck-parking-near-school","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6534461-2479e085b8fc98b1a63798b50e13f076/orig.mp4?Expires=1770101746&Signature=RJg0h4LBPUABbsbr2wGbfAqVhVdo8I-Mz1EbxXNVvsGsVy3iiQPncoKWERBPb01prK2r1QIn4VN9jM-k0ANLcv9j~Z3SDZvAk3tBxVC3Dz~shPGX4npiVzBi0kj4Z7f3ycF0gaYBLJaIwRQVXOVJEJbN27~aO3P3~vDdaz3-VzCQLdJRgu3uHYZw4Q-5ZA4yMAoMf6YKNQBmvJTK95diPCfHpP3RUA0wlhPya7dqEQPMw9iLjAV1cp1iQ3DqUC393AaX0LznP60BXM-u6W0PfwL-gudHXOlBSZQ6u1T52g1YiCWLvYokPgPh5q4RSsMtEh-p9BfW4~Ru7S~3iWXdUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Multiple residents used the public‑comment period to urge the council to act on street safety issues, including a recent incident in which pedestrians were nearly struck and ongoing commercial truck parking on a residential street that runs beside Shepherd Middle School.

A public commenter described a video of a driver failing to stop after an incident that forced pedestrians to move from the roadway; the commenter said crashes and serious injuries are increasing and urged the council to prioritize a street safety action plan and to fund a street‑safety coordinator. The speaker suggested projects and enforcement should be budget priorities and asked the council to add projects that make the city’s most dangerous streets safer.

Another commenter reported repeated parking of 18‑wheelers and other commercial vehicles on a residential street adjacent to Shepherd Middle School. The commenter said calls to the city’s non‑emergency number produced inconsistent results and that the caller was repeatedly asked for personal information without problem resolution. The commenter asked the city to enforce existing rules, remove large trucks from the residential block and send officers to witness and document the ongoing problem.

Why it matters: speed, street design and illegal truck parking near a school increase risks to pedestrians and schoolchildren. Commenters tied safety improvements to budget priorities and to hiring or designating staff to coordinate a citywide street safety plan.

Staff did not deliver a formal response in the public‑comment segment; a council member invited residents to present the items to staff and to follow up with the city’s public‑safety and transportation teams. No formal action or vote was taken at the session.","Public commenters described a recent near‑pedestrian crash and ongoing truck parking on a residential street near Shepherd Middle School, urging more enforcement, traffic calming and a coordinator to address dangerous corridors.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents press city on paving quality and inspection as pavement‑management contract is considered

Durham presents concept plan for Durham Central Park as residents press to fund parks maintenance

Durham staff outline proposed water and sewer rate increases, cite Jordan Lake project as major driver

Residents urge Durham to address street safety, speeding and truck parking near school