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Public Works reports heavier workload: more road repairs, wastewater and stormwater inventory increases
Summary
Public Works reported a sharp increase in infrastructure to maintain since 2013 and higher in-house productivity, including over 500 tons of asphalt placed, expanded stormwater inventory and a push to implement asset-management software.
Public Works Director Jacob Spear presented the department's 2024 year-end report to the council on March 13, highlighting increased infrastructure responsibility and productivity gains.
Why it matters: Rapid city growth has increased the amount of roads, sewer and stormwater assets the city must maintain. That growth affects staffing needs, maintenance planning and capital budgeting.
Highlights from the presentation: - Road/street maintenance: Public Works maintains more than 160 lane miles of roads, a 68% increase since 2013. In-house crews completed roughly 190 work orders and placed over 500 tons of asphalt in street repair work — more than double the prior year's in-house asphalt tonnage. - Winter operations: Crews placed roughly 250 tons of salt during winter operations (up from about 215 tons the prior year). - Wastewater and sanitary system: The department reported it treated roughly 2,500,000 (reported) gallons of wastewater in 2024 and now maintains about 77 miles of sanitary sewer mains, a 38% increase since 2013. There are nine lift stations and approximately 1,500 manholes inventoried. - Water system: The city maintains nearly 40 miles of water mains and more than 2,000 water meters; staff replaced almost 200 meters and installed 157 new ones in the reporting year. - Stormwater: The city now maintains about 41.8 miles of stormwater pipe connected to roughly 1,600 inlets (120 more than in the prior year), a nearly 23% increase since 2013. - Facilities and aquatics: Staff maintain more than 50,000 square feet across eight facilities and report almost 20,000 patrons used the aquatic center in 2024 (down roughly 3,000 from 2023, which staff attributed to an earlier seasonal closure for repairs).
Staff initiatives and constraints: Spear told council the department has initiated an asset-management work-order software program and training/upskilling for staff. He also noted that while asset counts have increased substantially, staffing levels are actually lower than in 2013, creating pressure to optimize operations and consider long-term staffing and equipment needs.
Council reaction and next steps: Council thanked Public Works for the higher in-house productivity and noted the department will return with proposals and data to guide budget and staffing decisions.
