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Alice staff outline phased street-rehabilitation plan, urge utility coordination
Summary
City engineering staff presented a phased street-rehabilitation plan that ranks pavement by condition, estimates repair types and costs, and recommends coordinating utility replacement to preserve new pavement.
City of Alice engineering staff on March presented a multi‑phase street‑rehabilitation plan that ranks local roads by condition and proposes staged repairs across four quadrants of the city.
The plan, introduced by Wayland of the engineering department, maps streets using a Present Serviceability Rating (PSR) scale from 0 (worst) to 5 (best) and proposes repairs ranging from two‑course chip seals to full‑depth asphalt replacement depending on structural needs. Wayland said the team “assign[s] the street a number from 0 to 5” and uses that rating, together with an engineering structural number, to decide whether a road needs surface fixes or full reconstruction.
City Manager Michael Esparza and engineering staff emphasized that utility cuts shorten pavement life. The presentation cites a recent repair on South Reynolds Street that required subsequent trenching by a gas company and led to accelerated deterioration. To avoid repeated dig‑ups, staff recommends coordinating water and sewer work with street reconstruction.
The project would be implemented in phases. Staff described a four‑quadrant approach — southeast, northwest and two other quadrants — to limit simultaneous construction in any single neighborhood. Preliminary scope figures presented by staff include about 98,278 linear feet (roughly 18.61 miles) of driving surface and roughly 19,800 linear feet of sewer repairs; water work was listed at approximately 3,500 linear feet including hydrants and services. Staff provided preliminary per‑square‑foot cost ranges for repair types: a two‑course chip seal at about $0.25 per square foot, reclaimed base with chip seal, an overlay option, and full‑depth asphalt repair at an estimated $8 per square foot.
Council members asked about the plan’s status and next steps. Councilwoman Sandra Bowen asked for an electronic copy of the presentation; Wayland agreed. Councilman Garstel called the outline a potential “master plan” once engineering estimates are finalized; Wayland said the plan will be considered a master plan after the engineering and detailed estimation phase. Council members also asked whether utilities could be moved outside the roadway; staff said that has been discussed for several projects and is possible in some locations. On the question of concrete versus asphalt in heavily trafficked areas, staff said local soil and base conditions favor asphalt for most streets but cited limited concrete use at specific turning radii where heavy truck traffic justifies the extra base work.
Staff described the next steps as: (1) engineering and detailed estimation; (2) financing planning, including debt options; and (3) contractor procurement and implementation. The presentation was presented as preliminary assessment and identification of need; no ordinance or funding authorization was requested during the presentation.
The council did not take formal action on the item; staff said it will return with engineering estimates and financing options.
Looking ahead, staff recommended sequencing utility repairs and paving to extend pavement life and reduce long‑term costs.
