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Streets division requests staffing and capital to address pavement decline and maintenance backlog
Summary
Streets staff told council the city maintains nearly 1,000 lane miles, faces a falling pavement condition index, and proposed four additional FTEs (two sweepers, two construction operators) plus capital buys including an $800,000 paint truck and a $250,000 semi for hauling oil.
Don Barr and Krystal Craig presented the Streets division’s workload and a request for staff and capital to address a growing maintenance backlog.
Craig said Streets manages nearly $35 million in assets and approximately 1,000 lane miles; staff produced 46,000 gallons of brine in‑house last year and saved an estimated $64,000 versus purchased brine. Craig said the city currently asks each Streets employee to cover about 52 lane miles — well above comparable agencies — and that the division has a sweeping backlog that prevents the city from meeting its NPDES permit requirement to sweep every lane mile at least once per year.
To address the backlog and begin in‑house pavement preservation and limited reconstruction, staff proposed four additional FTEs (two heavy‑equipment operators for sweepers and two equipment operators to act as a construction crew) at a total loaded cost of about $340,000 annually. Staff said hiring the four would be cheaper than outsourcing the work and would begin to narrow staffing ratios closer to peer agencies; staff presented comparative figures showing other agencies with fewer lane miles per staff member.
Capital requests for streets included an $800,000 paint truck replacement (current truck described as end‑of‑life and exposing workers to elements) and a $250,000 semi trailer for hauling oil. Craig also noted the high cost of rebuilding pavement by contractor — roughly $2,000,000 to rebuild a half‑mile — versus an estimated $800,000 in aggregate cost if the city built in‑house after equipment purchase.
Council members discussed funding constraints, grant availability and the limits on using impact fees for maintenance (impact fees are restricted to growth‑related projects under state statute). Craig said staff are pursuing a registration fee and other funding options countywide to generate transportation revenue, and that state timing on Twelfth Avenue (State Highway 45) reconstruction is under review by ITD.
Street staff will include their staffing and capital proposals in the upcoming budget submittal for council consideration.
