Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Street Improvements topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sunbury advances $1 million street program; officials weigh tech-based pavement management and Columbus Street redesign
Summary
City staff outlined the 2025 street-improvement program funded at $1,000,000, described contractor delays, and urged the committee to consider pavement-management software and a phased, multi-year reconstruction of Columbus Street to pursue outside funding.
Tammy Stone, a city staff member presenting the Services Committee—s street-improvement plan, told the committee on July 2 that Decker Construction has been awarded the 2025 contract but rain delays have pushed preconstruction work and the contractor—s schedule.
Stone said the city has committed $1,000,000 for 2025 street work and that some streets originally planned for this year, including Sedgwick Avenue and Arbor Drive, were deferred to 2026. She said Columbus Street and sections near JR Smith Park are among higher-priority corridors that may require a different, phased approach.
The nut of Stone—s presentation was that the city is relying on PACER condition ratings (a 1-to-10 visual scale) to prioritize repairs but should consider adopting pavement-management tools and traffic counts to make decisions more data-driven. "If someone were to rate the street the same summer that the street was done, it probably would be a 10," Stone said, describing expected post-repair ratings.
Stone described three strategic options for a corridor such as Columbus Road: perform thin overlays or spot repairs to hold pavement while applying for funding; phase a complete-street reconstruction that includes sidewalks, planting strips and stormwater upgrades; or repave to current condition and defer sidewalks until a later phase. Committee members repeatedly emphasized the corridor—s role as an entry to the city and urged planning for sidewalks, access management and stormwater.
On pavement-data collection, Stone showed an example of a PCI (pavement condition index) software output and noted that automated collection using vehicle-mounted sensors and AI can provide more consistent, GIS-ready data. She reported an initial vendor estimate below $20,000 to scan roughly 50 lane-miles and implement baseline data. Committee members asked staff to check what Delaware County and ODOT District 6 use and whether the city could piggyback existing county/ODOT approaches before issuing a separate RFP.
Jake, the service supervisor, outlined the city—s in-house crack-sealing work and preservation toolbox, and confirmed the staff will continue routine maintenance while the committee considers larger investments. Stone recommended starting early-design work for complex projects this year so the city can pursue grants and better schedule construction.
The committee did not adopt a final funding level or select a pavement-management vendor; members generally supported further study and early design work ahead of budget decisions this fall.
