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Council presses Streets Department on paving, milling and workforce pipeline
Summary
Council members questioned Streets Department staff about delays hiring a third paving crew, contracted milling, tactile-paving installation, and the potential for in-house apprenticeship and construction work that advocates say could speed repairs and create local jobs.
Philadelphia City Council used the Feb. 18 oversight hearing to press Streets Department officials for details about paving capacity, hiring barriers and the possibility of bringing some contracted work in-house.
Michelle Brisbane, chief of staff for the Streets Department, told the committee the city has fully staffed two in-house paving crews and planned to begin hiring for a third crew in the spring. She said the department has struggled to find candidates for skilled paving positions — roller operators, asphalt rakers and drivers — noting the candidate pool is limited and that applicants must often bring several months of labor experience before final hiring and training: "We open the exams; we may get 20 candidates on each list," Brisbane said.
Paving, milling and tactile paving Brisbane confirmed that milling operations — the process that removes existing pavement before new paving — are contracted out because the city does not currently operate milling equipment. The department said it had not recently evaluated moving milling in-house; past studies cited air-quality and siting challenges. Tactile paving (the truncated domes placed at curb ramps for visually impaired pedestrians) is also contracted out, and Streets said it has discussed bringing that work in-house but has not made a decision.
Workforce pipelines and apprenticeship ideas Council members repeatedly asked whether the city could create a formal apprenticeship or training pipeline to fill paving and construction roles with local residents. Streets staff said the department works with existing workforce programs (for example, FutureTrack) and is open to discussions with central personnel about apprenticeship structures, but said creating a reliable pipeline requires coordination with central HR and training capacity.
Why it matters Council members framed the discussion as both a safety and equity issue: more in-house capacity, better coordination with workforce programs, and timely milling and paving could accelerate safety improvements, reduce the time neighborhoods sit with deteriorated streets, and create family-sustaining jobs.
Ending Council asked Streets Department staff to return with details for the budget process on hiring timelines, how apprenticeship programs might be structured and whether some contracted activities (milling, tactile paving) could be transitioned in-house to speed projects and create jobs.
