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Pavement survey shows city streets improved since 2017 but local streets lag; staff outline maintenance and bond tradeoffs
Summary
A 2025 pavement condition survey gave Salt Lake City an overall OCI of 66 and identified a backlog (OCI<40) above 20%. Consultants and city engineers recommended prioritizing local‑street preservation and estimated a multi‑year investment (previously ~$45M/year) would be required to reduce backlog toward industry targets.
Scott Gordon, president of Roadway Asset Services, presented the city's 2025 pavement condition survey, describing the methodology (laser crack measurement, ASTM PCI procedures) and survey findings. Gordon said the city maintains roughly 592 centerline miles of roadway and that the overall OCI (overall condition index) is about 66 — within national ranges but with a backlog (OCI below 40) above 20 percent.
Gordon reported that arterials and collectors score higher (arterials ~77, collectors ~72) while local streets average ~63, and noted the backlog is concentrated on local streets. "What we call backlog ... is running up above 20," he said, and added that typical targets are nearer 10–15 percent. He urged an optimization approach that balances preservation (low‑cost treatments like chip seals and slurry seals) and selective reconstruction to get the biggest network benefit for limited funds.
City engineer Mark Stevens told the council that an optimization exercise completed with previous data produced a planning‑level estimate of about $45 million per year over five years to reduce backlog toward industry targets; staff are updating that optimization with the new 2025 data and expect an updated cost recommendation for the current budgeting process. Stevens emphasized that preventive maintenance is far more cost‑effective over multi‑decade time frames than allowing pavements to deteriorate into reconstruction categories, and that segmentation down to 200‑foot samples will allow targeted, section‑by‑section treatments.
Council members asked about equity among districts and how the 2018 bond focused largely on arterials and collectors, leaving local streets in need of additional attention. Staff said focusing funding on local streets can raise the network OCI faster and that the updated optimization will clarify a recommended annual investment target and mix of treatments. No final funding decision was made at the work session; staff will deliver the updated optimization and cost numbers to inform bond or budget decisions.
