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Washougal staff hear pavement plan showing strong condition but long-term funding need
Summary
Consultant and staff told the Washougal City Council workshop the city’s pavement condition index is 82 — better than state average — but long-term structural overlays and rising deferred maintenance will require planning and possibly higher funding in the next decade.
A consultant told the Washougal City Council workshop on Feb. 24 that the city’s streets are in good condition now but will require increased long-term investment to avoid a large maintenance backlog.
Gail Kupler, a pavement-management consultant with Capital Asset Pavement Services, said Washougal’s current pavement condition index, or PCI, is 82 — “an excellent PCI,” Kupler said — and that the city’s network is in better shape than the statewide average of 71. She told council members the city’s maintenance program and use of seal coats and crack sealing are preserving pavements now but that those surface treatments can be applied only a limited number of cycles before structural overlays become necessary.
The presentation explained why early preventive maintenance — crack sealing and slurry or chip seals — costs far less than reconstructing pavement later. Kupler said a city with no budget for routine maintenance would see its PCI drop about seven points over five years; by contrast, Washougal’s current five‑year investment trajectory (about $1 million per year, or roughly $5 million total) would increase the PCI by about one point and keep deferred maintenance from escalating immediately.
Kupler walked the council through three scenarios produced by the city’s StreetSaver pavement‑management model: an “unconstrained” scenario (roughly $7.8 million over five years to nearly eliminate all deficient pavement), the city’s current funding level (about $5 million over five years, which would modestly improve network condition) and a “do nothing” scenario (rapid PCI decline and sharply higher deferred maintenance). She showed a deterioration curve that pulls sharply downward after roughly 12–15 years without appropriate maintenance, and urged the council to consider stockpiling funds now to smooth the larger overlay costs anticipated in about 12–15 years.
Kupler also explained that some newer streets in a recent subdivision showed unexpected alligator cracking and that in many cities thin or poorly constructed pavement sections fail early if construction inspection and compaction are not adequate. She said cities typically have two‑year contractor warranties on new streets, which can provide recourse when defects appear soon after construction.
Council members asked about specific map areas and construction sequencing. Kupler recommended running a 20‑ to 30‑year scenario at the next analysis to better estimate overlay needs beyond the five‑year horizon; when asked how to plan for the longer term she suggested either identifying new revenue sources, shifting existing general fund priorities, or considering revenue measures during broader community funding analysis work. She noted one transportation grant project — Shepherd Road improvements — and said strategic tradeoffs will be required if council chooses to increase street funding now.
The consultant and staff emphasized that Washougal’s current approach has kept the network healthy but that planning for larger, structural costs later will give the city more options.
“Once those streets fall into the structural overlay category, the cost becomes very large,” Kupler said, summing up the risk of delaying investment.
