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San Bernardino outlines data‑driven pavement management plan covering 650 centerline miles
Summary
City staff and Nichols Consulting Engineers presented a pavement management and asset inventory plan that will survey about 650 centerline miles and deliver a citywide Pavement Condition Index (PCI) mid‑June; staff said the effort will support multi‑year budgeting and candidate SB1 grant projects.
San Bernardino city staff and Nichols Consulting Engineers on April 16 presented a data‑driven pavement management plan that will inventory roughly 650 centerline miles of city streets and produce a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) to guide repairs and budgeting.
The consultant described a multi‑step program—inventory, condition survey, decision tree, budget analysis and implementation planning—built from high‑resolution lidar and imagery collected by a pavement data vehicle. "650 center line miles will be assessed as part of this pavement management plan," the presenter said, and the team reported dividing the network into about 5,100 50‑foot sections for condition scoring.
The presentation explained the PCI scale (0–100, with higher scores better) and noted a 2022 local survey that put San Bernardino at an index near 66, close to the California statewide average cited at about 65. Staff said consultants will deliver the citywide PCI dataset in mid‑June and follow with scenario modeling showing what different annual budgets would do to deferred maintenance and overall PCI over five‑ to ten‑year horizons.
Councilmembers pressed for practical follow‑up. Councilmember Ortiz asked whether streets already slated for paving would be re‑scheduled; the consultant said those projects were based on earlier assessments but that the new system will be used in future prioritization. Staff also told the council they plan in June to submit a list of 50 locations for SB1 funding ($5,700,000 requested with a local match noted) based on the upcoming assessment.
Nichols described the data collection tools—laser scanners producing hundreds of thousands of points per second, multiple high‑resolution cameras and GPS—and explained the firm’s automated algorithms for detecting distresses, signs, curb ramps and other assets. The asset inventory is intended to reduce engineering surprises during design by revealing sidewalks, curb ramps and underground utility features that affect paving costs.
Councilmembers asked about cadence: consultants recommended refresh surveys every three to five years after the initial effort; staff said they will present a comprehensive final pavement management plan in August that will include estimated costs to reach different PCI targets and an "unlimited money" scenario showing the citywide cost to bring all streets to a high standard.
The presentation did not request formal council action that evening. Staff said they will return with the compiled PCI data and budget scenarios and that a separate budget workshop is scheduled in two weeks where proposed street funding for the next fiscal year will be discussed.
