Springdale’s new public-works director outlines street, sidewalk plans and resident-notification pilot

Kevin McKinney, Springdale’s new director of public works, briefed the City Council Sept. 3 on street and sidewalk maintenance strategies and introduced a resident-notification pilot.

McKinney said the city’s pavement condition index (PCI) stands at 89 and outlined specific maintenance tools used to extend pavement life — a rejuvenator treatment for low‑volume streets, crack sealing, a fiber‑mat plus cape‑seal combination for higher-traffic connectors, spray‑patch pothole repairs and mill‑and‑overlay where necessary. He said those treatments can extend service life by about a decade for certain streets.

On sidewalks, McKinney described a two‑tiered approach: grinding to remove trip hazards (used in Heritage Hill this year) and full replacement for blocks with total failure. He said the city is cataloging catch‑basin repairs and evaluating concrete needs for upcoming years.

To improve resident communication about short‑term disruptions, public works will pilot a web page called “community notifications” and entrance signs for neighborhoods that include a QR code linking directly to project details and timelines. McKinney said the signs are intended for temporary notice (tree work, street maintenance) and to make it easier for residents to find why a crew is in their neighborhood.

He listed recent and proposed work areas — Beacon Hills, Oxford Hills, Heritage Hill, Kemper Commons and Springfield Pike among others — and said the city is continuing work on the Northland Boulevard reconstruction and associated sidewalks. Council members urged staff to track timing and minimize neighborhood inconvenience.

What’s next: public-works staff will finalize the pilot signage and the community‑notifications page and continue the 2025–26 maintenance schedule; council expects administration to monitor progress and resident feedback.